Guardian Angel
by Caramelchan
Summary: Does the soul die at death? Did Speed really die in Lost Son? His spirit still lives on and we hear his story as he watches over his grieving team. A story of friendship that can't be broken.
1. Lost Son

**_OK, in England at the mo, they are repeating series 3 before they show series 4._**

**_On tuesday, I watched "Lost Son" and had an idea for a story that my beta said would be really good and h_****_ere it is._**

**_I will update once a week, after writing each chapter after seeing every episode._**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_(PS I own nothing. And the quote is from Dispo Day)_**

Why didn't I listen to Calleigh?

"_All I'm saying is, next time it could be you. And I'm just… I'm just begging you. Clean your gun!"_

She was right.

This time it was me.

My name is Tim Speedle and I am, well, I was a CSI.

I died in a jewellery store.

I was shot.

My gun didn't work because I didn't clean it.

It took me a couple of minutes to die.

After I fell, there were a couple more shots, but all I could think about was the massive pain in my chest.

The shooting stopped and suddenly I saw Horatio leaning over me.

"_Speed!"_

I saw fear in his bright blue eyes and it occurred to me that I had never seen him scared before.

"_Speed!" _he said again.

I tried to reply but my mouth and throat were full of blood.

"_Speed! Speed, you're alright. Hang in there."_

We both knew I wasn't.

I wasn't quite sure when I died, because nothing happened.

No tunnels with light at the end.

No heaven.

No hell.

I was still in the jewellery store and suddenly I was able to stand again. It felt like I had become weightless and free.

Calleigh came in and Horatio gave her his gun and mine.

I wanted to tell her I was sorry.

I should have cleaned my gun. I know this is my entire fault.

She and Horatio talked in whispers for a minute more and then Calleigh left.

She had managed to stay composed whilst talking to Horatio, but avoided looking at my body.

She caught a glimpse of me as she left.

I followed her. I couldn't help it.

A sob caught in her chest as she put my gun in an evidence bag. She put that in the trunk.

By the time she was ready to drive, tears streamed down her face.

She leant against the wheel, her head in her hands.

I could see she was shaking and her sleeves were wet from tears.

Seeing Calleigh like this made my heart leap into my throat.

Calleigh had always been the strongest one of us. Able to shut everything away. She was always so happy, but now…

I realised that I had caused this.

Every single one of my team was suffering.

Because of me.

I sat in the car with Calleigh.

I whispered in her ear, "Calm down Cal. Don't cry."

I only hoped she could hear me.

--------------------

I watched Alexx load my body into her van.

She shut the door behind her and when she was alone, she lifted the blanket off my face.

She didn't break down, like Calleigh had, but I saw tears form as she carefully closed my eyes.

--------------------

The autopsy felt horrible. It seemed to hit home that I was really dead. Alexx was talking to me, like she had for the five years I knew her.

Now she was crying.

Seeing me on the table, just like her other "patients," must have finished her.

It was fascinating to watch my own autopsy. I felt that I couldn't leave Alexx alone to do it, so I stayed with her and watched, like in the old days.

--------------------

IAB are investigating my death. I know they have too, but really, what's the point? Everyone knows what happened.

I was shot and couldn't defend myself because my gun misfired.

My damn gun misfired because I didn't clean it.

They don't need Calleigh or Alexx to tell them that.

They have had it in for us all since "Dispo Day."

Always looking for faults in Horatio's "Dream team."

I overheard them once.

Especially picking on Calleigh and me.

Calleigh had cocaine in her system on dispo day and they found it when they did the polygraph. She had been dosed, and Horatio saved her.

He appealed for her and found evidence to save her neck.

And since then, they have always looking for faults in Horatio's team.

They are gonna have a field day.

---------------------

Calleigh had to process my gun.

I watched.

I will never forget the look on her face when she confirmed why my gun had failed. She already knew, but before she examined it, there was always a possibility that it might have failed for some other reason.

The worst part for her must have been, knowing that I could have prevented my death.

--------------------

She wrote up her report and went to find Horatio.

He was about to empty my locker when she found him.

She showed him the report and they looked at each other.

Horatio pulled Calleigh into a tight hug and they shared their grief.

--------------------

The funeral was the worst part.

By far.

The city stopped for the procession.

Police bikes, followed by patrol cars, followed by a hummer, followed by a hearse.

The ceremony was lovely.

Short and sweet.

There was a flag over my casket, which they folded beautifully and gave to my desparing mother.

I wanted to leave, but part of me wanted to stay and support my team as I was saluted.

Horatio, standing with his head bowed and his hands behind his back. I couldn't see from where I was, but I think that he may have been crying.

Calleigh, looking at the coffin and dabbing her eyes. She didn't want to cry, but couldn't help it.

Alexx had her head up and tears were spilling. She was looking anywhere but at the coffin. At the skies, into the trees, at the gun salute.

Eric was looking right at me. Not my coffin, but where I was standing. His face showed nothing, but I could tell what he was feeling. He was my best friend and I knew what I would be thinking in his position.

I was so glad when the funeral ended.


	2. Pro Per

_**This took a bit longer to write than I thought but it's here now. Read'n'reveiw! **_

They are getting over it. Slowly.

The pain is still there but only if you look in their eyes.

Calleigh snapped first.

I watched her in reception talking to a suspect called Byran Middlebrook. The guy was defending himself in court. Idiot.

She was handling it well. That is, until he advanced on her.

I knew I had only seconds to act.

I put myself between Calleigh and Byran and had the shock of my life when he walked straight through me.

Sudden warmth flooded my veins and I almost felt as if I was alive again.

Then, as soon as it came, it was gone.

In my moment of shock, I had forgotten Calleigh.

I wheeled around and saw Eric standing between her and the suspect. Protectively.

Eric was close to hitting the guy when Calleigh stepped in and diffused the situation.

She was also furious, but didn't show it.

She talked calmly to Byran for a moment and he seemed satisfied with what she said because he left without a backwards glance.

Calleigh turned around to stare at Eric. Her eyes were burning with rage. "Why did you undermine me?" She demanded.

"I just thought…"

"Well, don't." She stalked off in the direction of ballistics leaving Eric looking stunned.

"What was that?" he muttered to himself.

We had always tried to protect Calleigh. She was normally slightly flattered but ignored our attempts to keep her out of danger.

I felt sorry for Eric at that moment. She had bitten his head off and he was only trying to help her.

If Eric and I traded places, I would have done the same.

--------------------

I didn't follow Calleigh or Eric.

They deserve their privacy.

I went to look for Horatio.

There was a kid in the department and I figured that hanging around with the kid would be a sure-fire way to find him.

Normally I avoid kids.

That's Horatio's job.

The rest of us usually stay out of the way when there is a kid involved.

But today, the kid wasn't talking and he certainly wouldn't talk to me.

He was called Stevie.

When Horatio came to see Stevie I had been waiting for half an hour.

I didn't mind.

I could wait forever.

The poor kid had wet himself while waiting.

Either, he didn't know where the toilets were and was too embarrassed to ask, or, he was terrified.

I'm willing to bet on the latter.

Horatio talked to him for a moment in that oh-so soothing way and then called Yelina.

"_This is Detective Salas. She's going to get you cleaned up, OK?"_

Stevie nodded and Horatio left, whispering something to Yelina on the way out.

He waited outside the room for Yelina to come out.

When she did, Horatio spoke to her.

"_I need you to take Stevie home with you tonight, until we can get foster care for him. Is that alright?"_

She nodded, her brown curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"_Sure."_

--------------------

I didn't catch up with Horatio again until later.

I spent my day drifting through the lab, occasionally catching glimpses of Calleigh or Eric rushing around with their hands full with files or crates.

I went to visit Alexx for a while.

She had no autopsies to do at that moment and she was finishing off paperwork when I came in.

I drifted over and leant down to read what she was writing.

Without realising it, I leant too far and for the second time in one day, felt the warmth of flesh again.

Alexx shivered and I quickly moved away.

I obviously made humans feel cold when I touched them by accident.

"_Timmy?"_

It was Alexx speaking.

"_Is that you?"_

I had a sudden, crazy idea that she could see me.

I turned and headed for her again. She was peering over her shoulder and looking suspiciously at a spot to the left of me.

She couldn't see me.

But she felt me.

--------------------

Horatio was angry.

I don't know why.

I was in the morgue when I heard him talking quickly into his cell and heading out of the building.

I followed him and leapt into the front seat of his hummer.

He was heading through the streets of Miami at top speed, sirens on, ignoring lights and all other traffic.

Suddenly he slowed and crept along a quiet suburban street.

For a second I was confused, until I saw the car up ahead of us.

It was big and black, and a hand reached out of the driver's side window.

In the hand, was a gun.

In an instant I knew.

I suddenly recognised the house.

It was Yelina's house; where Stevie had gone to stay.

He had been orphaned by a shoot out earlier and now, the perp had come to finish him off.

The shooting started, ripping up the front of the house.

Horatio leapt from the car, his own gun drawn.

A small army of patrol cars emerged from various hiding places but the black car sped off. Horatio was shouting orders to the patrols; he wanted this man caught.

The house was in pretty bad shape and Horatio was scared as he turned to it.

Scared of what he might find inside.

There was no movement in the house.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Yelina, looking terrified, came out, followed by her son, Ray, and Stevie.

Horatio breathed a sigh of relief and headed towards the small party from inside the house.

"_Are you alright?"_

"_Yeah, thanks for the heads-up. It gave us a chance to cover ourselves."_

"_I can't ask you to look after Stevie anymore. Hang in there."_

Horatio took Stevie by the hand and lead him to the car.

As he got into the car, he saw a man emerge from Yelina's house.

Yelina hugged this man and as she did, I saw Horatio's previously fearful look turn to one of sadness.

--------------------

The next day the court case of Byran Middlebrook started.

Horatio realised that they weren't going to win it, so he called Calleigh back at the lab.

"_Calleigh, this isn't going to work. We need more evidence."_

"_I'm trying Horatio but it takes time. Eric and I will run it to you as soon as we are done."_

"_Good. See you as soon as."_

Eric and Calleigh worked quickly.

While they were waiting for some results, they chatted in a friendly way, their earlier argument as good as forgotten.

That was until Eric brought it up.

"_Are you undermining me?" _he asked playfully.

"_Oh, that. Eric, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped."_

"_That's ok."_

At that moment, the printer clicked into life and a sheet dropped into the tray. Calleigh picked it up and scanned it.

"_This is it. We've got him."_

"_You call Horatio. I'll drive."_

Damn that printer. If it hadn't printed out at that moment, then Calleigh might, she just might have let Eric in.

It was almost possible to see something happen between them, when you watch from another angle.

But the moment would always pass and they would go back to their own lives.

--------------------

Calleigh came into the courtroom and sat smugly at Horatio's side.

When the judge sentenced guilty, the relief that washed over them was tangible.

They both wanted to see Byran in jail, and both got their wish.


	3. Under The Influence

**_Err... OK this chapter is so unbelievably rubbish, that I wasn't going to publish it. _****_But my mum has convinced me that everything need to come in a set, so you need to have the whole of season three from Speed's point of view._****_

* * *

_**

Horatio found a replacement. 

A patrol officer, young, enthusiastic, called Ryan Wolfe.

He was on the scene of a murder when the CSIs arrived.

Horatio said he was thorough; he even asked Yelina to put in a good word about him.

She didn't need to really. He had been so thorough at the crime scene that Horatio was convinced quickly.

He had a perfect clean gun.

He was hired before the end of the day.

Which Calleigh was not happy about.

He was put on the case of her drunken father, who thinks he may have killed someone, but isn't sure.

Well, a sure way to get on the wrong side of Calleigh is to insult her family.

She and her father are so close. She used to spend half her life picking him up from some bar, but now he had been off the drink for six months. Apparently.

He came to her in the office and told her. Well, you can tell how well that went down. She was furious, but just barely managed to contain her anger.

She went with him out to his car.

She looked at the front bumpers and knew.

There was blood all over it.

"_Take a drink."_ I looked at her in disbelief, even though she couldn't see me.

"_A drink? But that's what caused this trouble in the first place."_

"_DRINK!"_

Suddenly I understood.

She was going to make him turn himself in to Horatio and because she had seen him drink, it would ruin any drink test they did on him.

She talked calmly to Horatio who asked them about the whisky he could smell.

Calleigh explained that she had just seen him drink.

She had managed to keep calm throughout this and I admired her for it. I would have lost it ages ago.

But when Horatio told her that he was assigning it to Ryan Wolfe, she went mental.

"_A newbie? They don't even know how thinks work in CSI!"_

She knew she could have no involvement in the case, but her southern stubbornness wasn't going to let her stop trying.

She stopped in to see Ryan while he was processing her Dad's car.

She was standing well away, but Ryan told her to put her hands in her pockets.

I was stunned but Calleigh ignored him.

Makes a change.

I couldn't believe the cheek of him.

I would have hit him.

--------------------

After floating around the department for a few hours, I saw Ryan leaving, followed by Calleigh.

I was curious to see where they would be going together, but I knew it was something to do with the case (that Calleigh wasn't even working).

I was curious to see how the case ended, because I used to know Kenwall Duquesne.

Before I died.

Ryan drove Calleigh to a building site and followed the trail of evidence Kenwall's car had made.

It led him to a dead body.

Ryan was focussed on the body, but Calleigh was looking at some footprints in the dust.

She started to explain to Ryan how the footprints showed where something had been thrown.

She followed where she was pointing and walked to a large hollow pipe with Ryan right behind her.

He threw something into the pipe and walked off.

Calleigh was just about to enter the pipe when a large alligator crawled out and headed for Calleigh.

She immediately drew her gun and backed away.

"_RYAN! RYAN!"_

He didn't appear.

Calleigh was about to squeeze the trigger and kill the advancing reptile, when Ryan sauntered out of the pipe saying, _"I took the back way."_

Calleigh saw the alligator pick up what Wolfe had thrown earlier (which turned out to be a sandwich).

--------------------

This newbie needed some lessons.

For example, we have an unspoken pact about working with Calleigh or Alexx or Yelina.

We protect them.

Yes, they say they can protect themselves, but being girls, they are more likely targets.

We don't stroll off, doing our own thing, leaving whoever we are with at the mercy of an alligator!

Eric was going to have to teach him a lot about being a CSI.

--------------------

Calleigh and Ryan did manage to clear her father.

At the end of her shift, Calleigh drove him home.

She was about to leave when she saw Horatio.

She couldn't help remembering what he had said to her once about family.

"_Sometimes it's difficult to have family." _She had said.

"_Sometimes it's more difficult not to." _He replied.

I don't know how I knew she was thinking this.

I just did.

--------------------

As she was driving, she thought about what Horatio had said to her once and then thought of me.

How were my family doing?

I knew they were coping, but she didn't know them, so hadn't gone to see them.

I watched her lead her Dad up to her apartment and make the sofa-bed up for him.

Seeing her with her Dad made me miss my own family even more.

_"Goodnight Daddy,"_ she said as she turned out the living room light.

I had to find a way to communicate with living people again.

There has to be some way.


	4. Murder In A Flash

**_In this episode, I didn't think there was very much worth putting in here, so this is almost all scenes I made up. I can't wait for the better episodes at the end of the series. That's all I can say.

* * *

_**

"_It was like Dawn of the Dead!"_

Calleigh was talking to a golfer who was in the crime scene. He found the body.

"_It was a flash mob. They turn up at a prearranged time, do something weird and leave. Usually pretty harmless."_

The others arrive.

Horatio stood there doing "his pose".

It's funny, watching him from the other side, he does that pose a lot.

From here, I notice many thinks I never saw before.

And the sunglasses thing.

He does that a lot too.

"_Was this mob sent to draw us to the scene, or destroy it?"_

He also has these "lines".

He always has the last word.

_--------------------_

"_How do you know so much about flash mobs, Cal?"_

"_You don't want to know." _She said, grinning.

I'm glad Eric asked her that, because I am curious.

Up comes a flash mob, and she knows so much…

You'd almost think she used to be involved…

"_Why would I ask, if I didn't want to know?" _Eric was teasing her and she was getting annoyed with him.

"_I just read stuff, OK?"_

Eric looked sceptical; eyebrows arched and a small smirk playing around his lips.

He was desperate for Calleigh to admit to being involved in the past.

I could just see Calleigh in a flash mob.

She probably organised them!

Knowing her.

--------------------

Alexx was reporting her findings to Horatio after an autopsy.

"_Someone doped this drink. That makes it homicide."_

Horatio nodded and headed out of the morgue.

Alexx was alone again, in her domain.

But she wasn't.

I was there.

She didn't know it.

I desperately wish that she can hear me.

I have not tried talking to her yet.

I tried with the others.

Calleigh, Eric, Horatio, even Ryan. Just some way to contact them again.

Just, not Alexx.

She is my last chance.

She felt me before, so I think she may be able to hear me.

"Alexx," I call. "Can you hear me?"

--------------------

Calleigh sat on a bench in the Miami midday sun, next to a boy called Justin Gillespie.

"_The greatest off all the lost arts is honesty."_

"_I didn't think anyone would bother checking where the quote came from."_

"_Mark Twain?"_

She told him a story from her childhood and he opens up to her a bit.

It turns out they are not that different.

They both have defence lawyers for fathers and both seem very involved in flash mobs.

"_I asked my father if he thought he was innocent and he told me "It is my job to defend him." I never understood what he meant until now."_

--------------------

"_Timmy?"_

Alexx's voice was quiet and she sounded scared. I saw that she was leaning against the freezers, glancing around.

I wasn't sure if she could hear me, or see me, or just sense that I was there.

"Can you hear me Alexx?"

"_Yes. What…?"_

"I don't know."

We were both speechless.

"_I don't get it."_

"Neither do I."

It didn't matter though. I had got through to someone.

I put my hand on her shoulder and felt her shiver. I actually felt it. That had to count for something.

* * *

**_Thanks for all the reviewslast time, they were really supportive. Go review!_**

**_CalleighDelko xxx_**


	5. Legal

**_OK difficult chapter. There is a bit of Ryan-bashing later on, just to warn you. I hate Ryan and am trying my best not to be too mean to him... and failing! I know some people like him so sorry if you like him._**

"Hey Alexx."

"_Hey Timmy."_

We have finally got used to talking and it's almost like conversation we used to have.

Alexx has sworn not to tell the others about me yet.

I doubt they would believe her anyway.

"What happened to her?" I asked Alexx as she started the autopsy.

"_She was found in a nightclub. Doesn't even look eighteen. You weren't old enough to be out drinking, were you sugar? I don't know Timmy, some people die too young."_

I wasn't sure if she was talking about me or had just "forgotten" that I was dead.

"_Oh, Timmy, I'm sorry. I just… Sorry."_

I only nodded, but she saw me.

I heard movement behind me and span around. Alexx did the same.

There was a girl standing behind me. She was in her late teens and looked strangely familiar, though I couldn't quite place her face.

"_Excuse me sir, madam? Should I be in here?"_

I was about to tell her that she shouldn't, when I realised that she had talked to me. No other living person, other than Alexx, had been able to talk to me, so this girl was obviously either gifted or…

I turned back to the autopsy table and realised with horror that the girl behind me, was also on the table.

From Alexx's face, I could tell that she was thinking along the same lines as me, but working quicker, because she composed herself and turned to the girl.

"_Honey, what's your name?"_

"_Jenny Price. Why?"_

"_Jenny, honey, this might come as a bit of a shock to you but… Jenny, you are dead."_

The poor girl had no idea what had happened. She sank down onto the floor, shaking for shock.

"_I don't remember what happened. I remember getting punched in the neck… and that's it. That shouldn't have killed me! I shouldn't be here! I'm only eighteen! I shouldn't be dead…"_

She faded out into silence.

Alexx crouched beside her and attempted to comfort her, but Alexx's hand slid straight through her ghostly flesh every time.

Alexx motioned for me to come and comfort her, so I did.

I remember how it was when I died.

There was no one there to comfort me. In fact, I went to comfort them.

The girl's tears subsided and she stood up, heading towards the autopsy table.

"_Is…that…is that me?_

Alexx nodded gravely and I expected the girl to break down again. Luckily, she didn't.

"_So that's it? I'm just dead and I have to hang around here for all eternity?"_

I have been dead for quite a while, but I have never had that thought.

Now that I was force to think it, I preferred not knowing or caring.

What will happen to me?

This obviously doesn't happen to everyone who dies, or there would be more ghosts than there are. In fact, this girl is the first other ghost I have seen.

"_Tim, I think you had better go."_

Alexx snapped me out of my thoughts.

"_I'll explain everything to her; you go and see how Ryan and Calleigh are doing with this. OK?"_

I nodded and headed out of the morgue into the sun, still wondering.

--------------------

Calleigh and Ryan were interviewing a suspect when I found them.

He was called Jack Bradford. He claimed to have an alibi.

"_I've got an alibi!"_

_"Oh, you've got an alibi." _Ryan turned to Calleigh._ "He's got an alibi." _

_"We love alibis." _Calleigh smiled in a way that I haven't seen her smile in quite a while.

I remember once when I had worked a case with her a _long_ time ago. I said something like that.

She smiled just like that.

Rage took over me.

Why is she acting like that? With the newbie?

The one that replaced me.

I stalked out, making sure I walked straight through Wolfe as I did.

--------------------

"_What's on your mind Timmy?"_

Alexx surprised me with her silent entry. They say you can't sneak up on a ghost. Don't believe it. It's a lie.

"Nothing." I muttered.

She chuckled. _"Don't lie to me."_

I sighed. "Alexx, Calleigh is forgetting about me. They all are, just… Calleigh is worst. She's been to see the shrink and now she's just putting it behind her."

"_But, you know Calleigh. It's her way. Shut it all out and then it's not there. I'm sure she thinks about you all the time and…"_

I wanted to scream "But she doesn't!" but felt it would be unfair on Alexx. She hadn't forgotten me.

"_I'll talk to her, ok?"_

I nodded and make to follow her.

"_Oh no you don't. I don't want you eavesdropping. Give Calleigh some privacy."_

She left and I realised suddenly that Alexx must have been able to see me.

I'm sure she couldn't see me before…


	6. Hell Night

**_I've just realised that these chapter's get shorter and shorter each time. Oh well, when I get slightly better episodes, they'll be longer!

* * *

_**

"_Vic got hit from behind. Never saw it coming."_

I saw it coming. I don't remember much of it now.

I saw my own gun in my hand.

I heard a shot and looked up.

I saw a bullet and everything was in slow motion.

Slow enough for me to see the bullet spin.

Just before it hit, I looked into the shooter's eyes and saw anger, malice and above all, victory.

When it hit me, everything returned to normal speed and I was blinded by pain.

I had been so intently remembering my own death that I didn't notice what was happening.

I was brought back to the present when I heard my own name.

"_I know you and Tim Speedle were close…"_

I glanced over and saw that the speaker was Ryan and he was addressing Alexx.

Yes, we were close. In fact, we still are.

Even though Alexx and I had agreed that she wouldn't tell the team about me just yet, I was begging her to tell him.

I really hate it.

Everyone talks about me in paste tense.

I am still here.

It would be so nice if someone would just say _"Speed is…" _rather than _"Speed was…"_

It would be nice, just for once.

After Ryan brought me up in conversation, Alexx was slightly cold to him for the first time since he started working at CSI.

"_I don't need any more friends."_

"Of course you don't Alexx. I'm here."

I knew she couldn't answer because there were people all around that would hear her if she spoke.

Which is why I nearly died of shock when her smooth voice echoed in my head.

I walked around so I was standing in front of her.

"Alexx? What just happened?"

"_Timmy, I don't know."_

I know I defiantly heard her, but Ryan, who was standing right next to her, didn't.

Everything was starting to scare me.

Things kept changing and I wasn't sure what I could or couldn't do.

I wasn't sure exactly what was going on.

I decided to distance myself from Alexx, just for a while.

That is how ended up watching Eric and Calleigh.

--------------------

Watching two people reading files doesn't seem like the best way to pass time, but when I sat there for an hour in the layout room, watching Eric and Calleigh learn more about their suspects, I felt the most relaxed that I have since my death.

There were three chairs in the layout room, so Eric and Calleigh had one each.

There was one empty seat.

Except that it wasn't empty, they just thought that it was.

We sat in silence; the sound of pages turning providing the only noise, unless anyone found anything worth sharing.

When they finished reading the files, they started making profiles on the computer.

Calleigh read the names to Eric and he wrote them in the computer.

The only problem was that Eric forgot the names very quickly.

By the third person, he had forgotten the first name already.

"_I am never going to remember all these names, so this one, juror number three, can be engineer. And she can be soccer-mom."_

I looked at Calleigh, expecting her to be angry at how Eric was putting things "out of place", and was surprised to see her smiling.

So I smiled too.

They had fun naming the suspects:

Tree hugger

Engineer

Soccer-mom

Cheerleader

Dentist

Construction Worker

It was the first fun either of them had had in quite a while.


	7. Crime Wave

**_Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but we were busy this week. I intended to publish it around wednesday, but wednesday came and I hadn't even started writing. And it's an extra long chapter this week!

* * *

_**

I don't think that oranges are often part of forensic investigations. And I don't think Horatio does either.

He held up and orange, that he had picked up from the floor, in front of his face, looking at it slightly confused.

There were oranges scattered around the parking lot.

I could tell that today would be an interesting day.

--------------------

A tidal wave was heading for Miami. People were evacuating and the city was in total chaos.

That's why the oranges were all over the floor.

I half wondered, for a moment, whether any of the team would be evacuating, but then realised how stupid I was being. A hurricane didn't drive them out, so why should a tidal wave?

"_There's still time to evacuate," _Horatio told Calleigh.

There he is, just trying to protect his team. Protecting her.

I wonder if he even notices.

Calleigh shook her head.

"_I'm just following your lead."_

Typical Calleigh stubbornness.

--------------------

Calleigh and Eric were working what will always be known as "The Crime Scene with the Oranges."

Calleigh picked up a squashed orange, a look of slight amusement on her face.

"_We got lucky. Someone stepped on this one!"_

Eric sighed and shook his head, also grinning.

--------------------

The Crime Scene with the Oranges was processed quickly and the team headed back to the lab. When they got there, they split up, heading into different parts of the building to do different tasks.

I followed Horatio.

He met up with Yelina in reception.

She was looking a mess.

She was not her normal, calm self and her right eye was bruised and black.

When Horatio saw her, an expression of worry on her face, I could almost feel the anger and heat radiating from him. He was barely keeping his temper.

"_I…I was bending down in the kitchen. Banged my face on a cupboard. It's nothing."_

I didn't believe her and, evidently, neither did Horatio.

"_How many times have I been told that by battered women whilst in the field? _

Horatio was furious.

He stood fuming for a moment, but was interrupted from his anger by an idiot patrol officer who had chosen that moment to tell him that their suspect had top be released.

Then, just to make matters worse, he smart mouthed Horatio.

"_Just beat it, will you?"_

I was surprised that Horatio hadn't smacked someone. And I would be surprised if he made it through the day without doing so. And from the way he watched Yelina leave reception, I got the feeling that that unlucky person might be Rick Stelter.

--------------------

Because I was watching Horatio and Yelina in reception, I missed some crucial points in the case, which is why I was confused when the investigation took Horatio and Calleigh to a greyhound racing centre just out of town.

They were greeted by a man, who spoke in Spanish.

Calleigh converted from English to Spanish in a second, speaking fluently and clearly.

I wish I had learnt Spanish. Or at least some foreign language.

I always felt jealous when Calleigh and Horatio spoke in Spanish and I knew nothing of what they were saying.

I guess it's too late now.

--------------------

At the greyhound place, H and Calleigh found a sheet of hurricane glass that looked like it had been shot at. It was cobwebbed with cracks.

Calleigh measured it and Horatio fed the details over the phone to Eric, who ran them through a computer back at the lab.

All of a sudden, we were all leaving the dog place and going to stop a bank heist in town.

I've forgotten how fast an investigation can move.

Lord help me!

--------------------

As I saw Eric and Horatio heading towards the bank, their guns lying forgotten in their holsters, I remembered a time not too long ago when Horatio and I had been heading to a scene together, without suspecting that we needed our weapons. But we all know how that turned out didn't we?

I urged them to talk their guns out and look as if they were ready to bust a bank heist, not withdraw a little bit of money.

I did notice that they were not accompanied by Calleigh. Probably ditched her at the lab.

A shot rang out and finally, Eric and Horatio armed themselves, ready to defend.

As they entered the bank, I couldn't help feeling as if they were walking into a death trap.

It would be so easy for one of them to get hurt.

Just one click of the trigger…

Life is so fragile. The movement of a finger can destroy it in a moment.

I saw Horatio with his gun pointed at a man in front of him and realised that I didn't have to be alone.

I was ashamed to realise it, but I found myself hoping that one of my friends would die.

I was lonely.

I was selfish and lonely.

I couldn't believe that I was hoping for one of my only friends to die, just for me.

I didn't think about the rest of the team.

How would they cope if they lost someone else?

I remembered their actions at my funeral.

None of them would survive if they had to go through it again.

Eric is barely holding on as it is.

Alexx is coping, but she knows the truth.

Horatio and Calleigh are just….

I don't know how they are doing because they won't tell anyone!

I was awoken from my thoughts by the feeling of suddenly leaping into an icy swimming pool. Water was all around me. I had forgotten the incoming tidal wave!

I realised that Horatio and Eric had very little hope of getting out of the bank, even less if they helped the people who had been hostages in the heist.

And they wouldn't leave others to die to save their own lives…

After a couple of seconds I didn't see Eric and Horatio get out of the bank and panicked. I wasn't thinking and didn't realise that they could easily have been upstairs.

I was getting slightly paranoid so I went in to check and make sure everyone was safe.

You can only imagine how shocked I was to see Horatio running, carrying an injured woman, into the bank's vault.

What the..?

They won't get out!

All normal reasoning let me as I panicked for my friends.

I followed Horatio into the vault and watched a monitor. It showed the rest of the ground floor of the bank.

Water gushed towards the vault door.

The lights went out.

I waited for a couple of minutes for my friends to say something to me.

If they died, surely they would talk to me…

Suddenly light rushed into the vault again.

Horatio stepped out of the vault into the sunlit bank.

The water level was around his knees, but he and Eric waded confidently through it.

They had made it.

The bank wasn't looking too good, but they had made it.

--------------------

Detectives, uniformed officers and other CSIs were soon swarming the bank.

Horatio saw the man he wanted to talk to through the other people and headed straight for him.

There was an uneasy moment between Horatio and Stetler before Horatio spoke.

"_I saw what you did to her face."_

Horatio's anger levels were rising again.

I took a step back. If a fight broke out, I wanted to be out of the way first.

Horatio's voice dropped to a whisper.

"_If you touch her again, I will kill you."_

I knew Horatio was deadly serious and felt glad that he had never looked at me like that. I'm dead and I was scared of that look!

--------------------

When the tsunami was behind everyone and people were back on track with their daily lives, Horatio started to wonder where the owner of the bank had got to.

He sent Eric to check his home.

Eric was climbing the stairs to the man's first floor flat when he heard shouting. He drew his weapon hastily and headed up the last few steps, more cautious now.

I stood right behind him as he carefully peered round the corner.

He shivered slightly.

There were three men, two with guns, in the room. The unarmed one was on the floor, obviously bleeding.

Eric waited until one of the armed men slowly lowered his gun, then made his presence known.

"_Miami Dade Police!"_

The man who still had his weapon in hand, grabbed the other and span to face Eric.

"_You can't match a 9mm with a P90."_

Eric was a pretty good shot, so he probably could.

"_You stick your head out the door, I'll blow it off!"_

Shoot him now Eric!

"_Don't try to be a hero!"_

I was getting angry now. All police officers are heroes, no matter the bad guys do.

Horatio had told me that the day he had been named lieutenant.

After Shaun, Megan's husband, died he told the whole team that.

We never forgot it.

Even as the kidnapper made off with his victim, Eric didn't forget it.

--------------------

Calleigh and Horatio went back to the bank.

The floor was covered in mud and pieces of rubble, and Calleigh was trying to avoid getting her trousers dirty, and failing.

They would have better luck finding the evidence on the soles of their shoes.

I remembered, with a smile, the time Calleigh did just that.

"_I got some on my boot."_

I sometimes hate remembering being… you know… alive.

But today, after the destruction that the tidal wave, it was good to remember the good times.

"_How are they going to find this gold in a tsunami?"_ Calleigh asked.

"_Same way we are. Sonar and GPS."_ Horatio replied.

"_I'll call the coastguard."_ _  
_

Calleigh left with a determined look in her eye.

She happened to walk straight through me. I wish they wouldn't do that.

--------------------

The shift is nearly over.

But they still had work to do.

Horatio had managed to track down the bank manager that had been kidnapped earlier.

He was in a hotel, which was due to be demolished in the next two minutes.

If Horatio is about to do, what I think he's going to do…

Yep. He's going into the hotel to rescue him.

I sat in the passenger seat and H leapt into the driver's seat.

He floored the pedal and drove through the crowded Miami streets.

Being in the car whilst Horatio was driving was an experience to remember, because _he can drive_!

Actually, I was terrified. He was intent on getting into the hotel before it fell and it was a scary experience riding with him.

He drove into to hotel parking and then inside the building itself.

Suddenly, he veered to the right.

He had obviously seen what I had not: the bank manager.

The hummer came to a screeching halt and Horatio leapt out.

He untied the prisoner, the kidnapped bank manager and helped him into the back seat of the car.

"Come on H!"

I saw in the rear view mirror that one of the pillars holding up the ceiling had fallen.

The demolition had started.

"Horatio! Hurry up!" I willed him.

He leapt in the car and floored the pedal for the second time.

The three of us in the Hummer flew forward, out of the hotel.

A cloud of dust billowed out and engulfed us, but Horatio kept calm and kept driving.

A few moments later, we were in clear air again.

The two living people in the car looked at each other in a way that said _"Did we just survive THAT?"_

Suddenly everything around me went still.

Nothing moved.

I stepped carefully out of the Hummer.

Glancing around, I saw a woman walking towards me.

She had on a long, plain white robe and her feet were bare.

This didn't seem to matter because I think she was really floating above the rubble that was strewn all around.

She had long black hair, dark skin and full lips. She was beautiful.

In a way, she reminded me of Alexx.

"_Hello Tim Speedle."_

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"_I know everyone's name."_

I had never been a very religious person, but I had a good idea of who she was.

"Are you God?"

I felt stupid asking the question, but I had to ask.

To my surprise, she smiled and said _"Yes."_

There was a pause.

"_Do you want to know why you are here Tim?"_

I was still in shock from the revelation that she is God and my mouth had gone dry. I couldn't say a word, so I just nodded.

"_Tim, every human has a guardian angel. This angel will take care of them and influence everything about their life. The angel watches over them."_

She stared at me, her dark eyes telling me that she expected me to put the pieces together.

"You want me to be a guardian angel?"

She nodded.

"Who for?"

I could tell that it was going to be one of the team.

"_That is for you to decide."_

How was I meant to choose which of my friends I wanted to protect?

"_I will be back in exactly twenty-four hours to hear your choice."_

The beautiful woman disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

The real world started moving again.

Horatio got out of the car to see if his passenger was OK.

The dust started to settle, rather than hanging in the air in an eerie way.

I sat down, ignoring what was happening.

I had a difficult decision to make.

* * *

**_Who will he pick? Only I know!_**

**_OK, let me know if you liked the chapter long or short, coz to get all the info I needed, I had to take notes! Lol_**


	8. Speed Kills

**_OK this isn't as long as the last chapter, but it's not ridiculously sort either. I was going to keep the choice a secret until next week because I didn't know myself, until last night, who he was going to choose.

* * *

_**

I watched Calleigh and Eric share a small laugh as Ryan left the garage to attend an autopsy.

"_Head trauma?"_

"_Uh huh."_

--------------------

"_Alexx? This guy doesn't have a head!"_

I could tell that Alexx was trying hard not to burst out laughing at the shocked look on Ryan's face.

She had been boiling a skull to get some clear tool marks, but Eric and Calleigh had sent Ryan to help her.

Ryan came close to throwing up, so Alexx had him deliver something she had found to trace.

As soon as he left, Alexx and I shared a laugh.

"_Timmy, do you remember when you sent Eric to his first head trauma?"_

"Yeah, I remember! He threw up didn't he?"

"_Uh huh. And didn't Calleigh throw up on you?"_

"Yeah but that wasn't funny!"

--------------------

It was good for me to remember and laugh at the past.

It distracted me from the impossible decision I was facing.

It had been twelve hours since I had been told what I had to do and I was still no closer to making my decision.

I had decided not to tell Alexx about it, that it would be unfair on her.

Now though… I was feeling that I couldn't make the decision without help.

"Alexx, I need to talk to you."

"_Sure honey. What about?"_

"Um… this is difficult. Do you believe in guardian angels Alexx? That every person has a spirit watching over them?"

She nodded.

"Someone came to see me yesterday. She told me that I could be the guardian of one of my friends. She said I had twenty-four hours to decide who."

Alexx nodded again. Nothing I had said seemed to faze her at all.

"_I can't help you Timmy. It has to be your choice. I don't want to change how you truly feel. You have to do this."_

"Alex, you don't think I haven't been trying? I can't choose between you. This team have been like a family to me. Horatio like a father, Eric and Calleigh like a brother and sister. You are like a mother. Asking me to choose one of you is like asking me which of my family I love most."

"_I'm sorry Timmy."_

She left the morgue, her eyes glistening with tears.

Now, I can ask no-one to help me with my choice and I am still no closer to making my decision.

--------------------

I spent the next few hours watching my team.

My friends.

My family.

I was so confused. The only person I am sure I'm not going to choose is Ryan.

Alexx. I owe her so much. Without her I don't think I would have survived. She helped me through the lows of my life, and death.

Horatio. He taught me everything I know. There is so much I have to thank him for, but never had the chance. This could be my way to repay him.

But he is so selfless that he wouldn't want me to choose him. He would want another person to have help.

Calleigh. I could just see her if she knew what I was thinking. I know she can look after herself, as she has proved countless times, but I can't help thinking about the unspoken pact. I feel that I should live up to it, even now. And she helped clear me with my gun. She made sure that I didn't have a bad name.

Eric. My best friend in the team. He stood by me my whole life. We were always side-by-side. Why should that change now?

--------------------

Horatio, Calleigh, Alexx or Eric?

--------------------

My time was nearly up. I would be visited in the next few minutes. Alexx was watching me struggle to decide.

"_Timmy?"_ she called across the room, _"You'll be alright. You made the right choice, whoever it is."_

"Thanks Alexx."

Suddenly, white light filled the autopsy theatre and the air felt warm and heavy, as it had done the previous night.

I knew that the time had come.

Sure enough, I saw the beautiful black woman materialise nearby.

"_Tim Speedle,"_ she said. _"Come with me."_

She offered me her hand, which I took.

She led me out of the morgue and I suddenly found myself in a huge and beautiful garden. There was a huge blue lake stretched out in front of me, which shimmered in the low sunlight. She sat down on a bench and I had no choice but to follow her lead.

"_Tim, have you made your decision?"_

I hadn't. I was going to explain to her that I couldn't choose one person out of my friends.

"I'm sorry, but…"

I realised that I didn't know her name. I was about to ask, when she answered for me.

"_I do not have a name, but if you wish, you may call me Eve."_

I nodded my understanding.

"Eve. I'm sorry, but I need more time. I can't choose one of my friends from the others."

I blurted everything out very fast, and I wasn't totally sure that she understood. Obviously, she did.

"_tim. This happens everytime a spirit is offered the chance to be a guardian angel. They cannot choose between their loved ones. You have to look deep down inside you and find the right answer. I can see that you have chosen, in your heart. Just let your head accept your choice."_

I wasn't quite sure what was meant by this. She stood up to leave, to give me some time, but had an afterthought.

"_Remember Tim. You will still see the whole team. You will guard and guide them all. The one you choose, needs you more, for one reason alone. When the reason is no longer important, you will leave them. You will continue to the garden and that is where you will meet them again, when they are ready to join you._

_Choose wisely Tim Speedle." _

She headed off around the great lake that was only a couple of metres from my feet. I knew I had to have an answer for her by the time she returned.

--------------------

I looked at the reasons why I should or shouldn't choose each person, but that didn't help, mainly because I had no reason to not choose any of them.

I just lay at the beach, remembering my life.

--------------------

One of my friend's name's popped into my head. It was like Eve had said. My heart had already made the choice. The more I thought about the name that flashed behind my eyes, the more it made sense that I picked them. I knew I had made the right decision.

--------------------

Eve was heading towards me now. I ran to meet her.

"I have made my choice."

"_Why have you chosen this person over the others?"_

"It helps me carry on what I started in life."

"_Are you sure you have made the right choice?"_

"Yes." I said it without any hesitation.

"_What would the others think? Would they say that you have made the right choice?"_

I hadn't thought of it that way.

I know Horatio and Eric would. So would Alexx. And Calleigh.

They would all think so.

"I have made the right choice."

"_I can tell that you have chosen the person who needs it most. Now. Please tell me who you have chosen."_

"I decided to choose…" I took a breath. I had not said the name out loud, even to myself. Now I had to admit it to Eve, who's face was expressionless.

"I chose Calleigh."

Eve smile. _"Well done Tim Speedle."_


	9. Pirated

**_Sorry about the long wait... this is the first internet computer I have manged to get to in the last week! _**

**_anyways... R+R

* * *

_**

Maybe I'm taking this a little too seriously. Maybe I'm over-reacting.

I'm Calleigh's guardian angel now and I have to protect her, but I may be over the top.

---FLASHBACK---

Calleigh talked patiently to a suspect and then showed him a warrant for his stomach contents. Admittedly an odd request, but still a valid one.

"_You're crazy!"_ exclaimed the suspect.

Calleigh just continued with her explanation, while anger grew in me.

"How dare you say that to Calleigh! My girl is NOT crazy!"

I bit back my tongue.

Why did I call her "my girl"?

It's not as if we dated…

Or even flirted…

Just, now, she _is _my girl, isn't she?

I'm going to care for her now.

---END FLASHBACK---

Today was the first time in ten years that a boat has been pirated in Florida waters, and Eric thought he had found the boat.

He called the department to get another CSI to join him, along with SWAT.

The receptionist took the message, but the first CSI she met was Calleigh.

"_Excuse me, Ms Duquesne? Mr Delko wants another CSI with him. He is in Miami harbour."_

"_What is he doing?"_

I could just see Calleigh, agreeing to join Eric on a dangerous raid. I could see the excitement in her eyes; she was ready to put herself in danger

"No…Calleigh!"

Now she's just making my job harder on purpose.

"Someone please tell her to stay in the lab!"

I could tell that the situation would be dangerous.

"_He didn't say. He mentioned finding a boat."_ The receptionist informed Calleigh.

"_Thanks. I'll go."_

I was just about to leave and ask Alexx to help me; she could ask Calleigh to process the new evidence she had just found or… something.

As I was going through the door, Horatio opened it and walked through it the other way.

"Stop her Horatio!" I willed.

I was sure that it would take more than to just "think" Calleigh safe, but at that moment, it was all I could do.

I was surprised when Horatio acted on my thoughts. He went to talk to her.

"_Calleigh. What have we got here?"_

"_Eric called for backup, but I've got it."_

No one could mistake Calleigh's enthusiasm. I had little hope of stopping her when she wanted to get into the field, but I hoped that Horatio would try.

"_Where?"_

"_Miami harbour. I've got it Horatio."_

"_No, I want to take this one."_

Yes! Thank you H!

Calleigh knew better than to argue with Horatio.

"_I'm sure you have some evidence to process..?"_

Horatio was babying her and she didn't like it, but it worked.

"_Yeah, I do. See you later."_

He nodded to her as she left.

I was glad that I was succeeding in my task from Eve, to guide and guard the chosen one.

I had had Horatio's help, but I was still succeeding.

I was glad of it, so glad almost, that I didn't notice Horatio's eyes rest on where I was standing for longer than was natural.

It didn't matter.

Calleigh was staying at the lab, safe.

I watched Calleigh work in the lab, testing various things and running fingerprints through AFIS.

It was a weary hour for her, especially as she knew that Eric and Horatio were in the field.

They returned soon enough with bagfuls of evidence… and another crime scene to process.

I was very glad that I had prevented Calleigh from joining Horatio and Eric, because they had just been barely missed by an RPG rocket launcher!

Calleigh's face lit up at the mention of the rocket launcher. It counted as a firearm and firearms are Calleigh's favourite area of the job.

She was probably just about to go and find an RPG to go and test fire!

If she did, I wouldn't be surprised.

"_Why didn't you let me go to that scene, H?"_

Great. Now she's arguing with Horatio.

"_Exactly the reason you wanted to go," _came Horatio's reply.

Why does he always speak in crypto?

He left, without explaining his answer.

Calleigh was wearing an expression that looked as confused as I felt.

--------------------

A little later in the day, Calleigh had been paired with Ryan Wolfe and assigned to a different area of the case. They were dealing with suspected cannibals.

It was better than being shot at with an RPG.

She and Ryan were doing interviews at the same time as Horatio. That way, I could listen to them both.

Calleigh and Ryan were interviewing a cannibal.

I was trying not to over-react.

They were in a building full of police officers, detectives and CSIs, all of whom carried weapons.

The suspect wasn't stupid enough to try anything.

I watched Horatio and Yelina interview their suspect. He was involved in another part of the same case.

Even though Yelina was the detective, it was Horatio that took the lead in the interview.

Yelina sat in silence, her eyebrows arched, until Horatio caught her eye, indicating that she should take over. She stood calmly and asked her question.

What the suspect did next made Horatio angrier than I have ever seen him.

Well, secnd angriest, only to the day I died. He was very angry then.

"_Why don't you learn to speak English?" _said the suspect, mocking Yelina's Hispanic accent.

Horatio was furious.

I expected him to grab the guy by the collar and throw him through the one-way mirror.

I really did.

From that moment, it didn't matter if the man was guilty or innocent.

I just knew that he deserves everything he's going to get.

I think Horatio was thinking the same thing.

--------------------

After watching Horatio's reaction to the racism from the suspect, I thought that I had been _under-reacting_ earlier when it came to protecting Calleigh.

She wasn't going to suffer racist attacks, with her blonde hair and very American accent, but she was a police officer and would still have to put up with lots of verbal abuse.

I made my mind up, then and there, to make sure every single one of those verbal abusers got what was coming to them.


	10. After The Fall

**_I'm feeling kind. I'm giving you this chapter now, even though I only published the last chapter yesterday. enjoy...

* * *

_**

Now that I'm Calleigh's guardian angel, I have less time to myself, less time to fill.

I'm not saying it in a bad way because now, at least I have a purpose.

But it does mean that I don't see the others as much as I used to. I've not seen Eric or Horatio or even Alexx alone for quite a while.

Today though, I heard snippets of conversation and had to learn more.

I caught the words _"unnecessary force" _and_ "unarmed suspect"_ coming from the interview room.

The voice was the voice of Rick Stetler, IAB.

I really hate that guy.

When he dies, I'll kick his butt from here to the other side of heaven. Assuming he gets to heaven.

The voice that replied was very familiar.

It was Horatio.

I didn't understand. Horatio doesn't use force on unarmed suspects. He just doesn't.

He continued.

"_Especially with a woman."_

I think he's getting confused in his old age.

There are no women in the case….

Wait… Unnecessary force… Unarmed… Woman… Stetler…

The pieces fell together.

I followed both men's gazes and saw that they were both watching Yelina.

I remembered her black eye.

Horatio had been sure that Stetler had something to do with it, and personally, I agree.

Yelina told some story, she fell in the kitchen, apparently.

Stetler tried to steer the conversation away from Yelina.

"_There are no women in this case."_

Horatio had a quick reply.

"_There's always a woman involved." _

Stetler was becoming angrier by the second.

Horatio, though he showed no signs of fury, was obviously full of rage inside.

--------------------

Everyone should have a guardian angel.

I saw Horatio leave the interview with Stetler, sometime later.

I couldn't help thinking "Horatio, why don't _you_ take care of Yelina?"

She needs you, not Stetler.

You go and be her guardian angel, Horatio.

Do it for her.

--------------------

I found Horatio a guardian angel as well.

Calleigh.

I saw her earlier. She took him to one side and talked to him and made sure he was OK.

It was a kind gesture.

Just the thing a guardian angel should do.

What a _real_ guardian angel should do.

I should be able to talk to Calleigh. I can't tell what she is really thinking without asking her.

Just a short chat to let her know I'm still there for her.

She covered for me, with my gun, so I'm doing the same for her, in a way.

--------------------

"_I need an unbiased opinion."_

"_People only say that when they already have an answer and are looking for someone to agree with them."_

"_You are very smart."_

"_I know that much honey!"_

I watched the two people that had meant the most to me since my death, Alexx and Calleigh, laugh and smile together.

They are the only two people I know that always have laughter in their eyes and always have a smile on their face.

Both such beautiful, successful women, and always so happy.

I think it's the two of them that keep the department going, being so positive in the face of the death and evil they work with.

As I realised this, my respect for them grew.

I also realised that I wouldn't have stayed sane since my death if it weren't for Alexx. And now, Calleigh has given me purpose.

Something to keep going for.

Something to live for.

Something to die for.

--------------------

Calleigh walked out of the interview room later, looking pleased with herself.

She had just single-handedly caused a suspect in their investigation to drop the charges of police brutality against Horatio.

The charge that Stetler had been investigating.

He had been watching Calleigh's interview from the outer part of the interrogation room.

When Calleigh "persuaded" the suspect to drop the charges, Stetler balled his hands into fists and screwed up his face in anger.

It was almost as if he wanted Horatio to be guilty of something, just so he could rub Horatio's nose in it.

He was angry because Horatio had been cleared.

Calleigh walked straight past him as she left the interrogation.

After a moment, he followed her, his fists still clenched.

I pictured Yelina's black eye again and remembered what he could be capable of.

I stood between him and Calleigh.

Surely he wasn't stupid enough to go anywhere near Calleigh?

Not only were they in the police department, he must have known that Calleigh would hit back, but twice as hard.

These sensible thoughts obviously occurred to Stetler, because he took a step back.

"_Well done," _he said, doing a very good job of keeping the anger out of his voice.

Calleigh nodded her thanks and continued on her way.

Stetler turned on his heel and went on his.

--------------------

It was nearly the end of the day and most people had gone home.

I saw Calleigh, still in the lab.

She wasn't heading home anytime soon, so I decided to go and see Alexx.

I hadn't spoken to her in quite a while.

"_Hey Timmy! Why have you been avoiding me?"_

"Alexx! You know I would never avoid you!"

We spoke in tones of mock annoyance, as a joke we had always shared.

"_Aww, I know you wouldn't avoid me on purpose. You must have been busy!"_

I did tell her about becoming a guardian angel before it actually happened, so she knew all about it.

"Not really. I've just been hanging around mostly."

"_Same. The only interesting thing that has happened to me lately was an autopsy I did earlier. The poor girl was suffocated with Nitris Oxide."_

"What's interesting about that?"

I used to make jokes about dying a lot when I was alive, but now I don't find it funny.

"_The use of Nitris Oxide,"_ Alexx continued, _"Is to enhance sexual pleasure."_

"Wait, Alexx. How do you know about that? You don't seem the type to use that kind of thing… if you know what I mean…"

I felt a blush rise in my cheeks even as I said it.

And to make matters worse, Alexx was laughing like I was a comedian.

"_Timmy! That's the funniest thing I've heard all year! And, for your information, Eric told me about the Nitris Oxide."_

That makes sense

"Trust him to know about that!"

I left the morgue a bit later, after a good laugh and chat.

I headed to Calleigh's flat to spend the night.


	11. Addiction

_**This should have taken a lot less time to publish because I've been off school (whoot!) but it took this long because I gave myself writer's block by writing the chapter for the eppy 10-7. Note to self: don't write the last chapter UNTIL you get there! It gives you writer's block!**

* * *

_

It's hard being the newbie.

When I first came to CSI, I was taken in under the wing of my supervisor, just as Ryan has been by Horatio.

My supervisor, Megan, taught me everything I needed to know about being a CSI. She was a great teacher and I'm sure that Horatio will be just as good a teacher, if not better.

So far, Ryan is doing well. He's not exactly got any friends in the team yet, but there's time. He will make friends.

Calleigh and Eric, especially Eric, feel as though they are being disloyal to me by becoming friends with Ryan, so they are both reluctant to do so.

They're wrong. I don't mind. I used to feel left out when they were talking to him, but now, I know it can't be helped and have to deal with it.

Eric is only just polite enough for them to be able to work together, but Calleigh is slightly more kind and accepting.

And Ryan clearly likes her too.

In the way that the school geek has to fancy the most popular girl.

I saw the crush form the first time he met her. The way he looked at her and spoke to her gave away his feelings.

And it isn't as if Calleigh hasn't noticed. She isn't blind!

I actually think she's flattered, because it is quite sweet.

--------------------

"My name is Alexx Woods, and you are here because you want a reason to give up drinking. Well, here, is a reason. This is Chris. He was killed when a drunk driver ran into him, crashed into a tree fifty yards away and walked away. If you need a reason to stop drinking, remember Chris."

Well put I think.

Alexx was running rehab sessions for drinkers. She's showing them a corpse that died because of a drink related accident.

It's a pretty hard-hitting way to get the message across, but it works.

As the rehab people left, Alexx turned to me and breathed a sigh of relief. She obviously didn't like to have to terrify people into not drinking, despite the fact that she had volunteered to be involved in the rehab program.

Anything is better than more people ending up on Alexx's table.

Alexx was about to speak to me, when I quickly put a finger to my lips.

One of the guys from the rehab was still in the morgue, standing in shadows by the door.

Alexx turned to talk to him.

It turns out that he wants a job in the ME's office.

Alexx always used to offer me jobs in her office, while I was attending autopsies.

I never took it though. I loved being a CSI too much.

But as I think about it now, if I had become an ME, I would never have ended up in that jewellery store.

But I can't change what has happened.

--------------------

Alexx's new recruit is doing well.

His name is Derek Rodderson.

He does know what he's doing.

I'll give him that.

"_One week, then we review, ok?"_ Alexx told him.

He'll be fine.

Alexx will teach him well, I'm sure.

I sat in the morgue for a while, simply because I didn't have anywhere else particularly to go.

There was only one body in there at that point, and no living people.

Just me and that body.

I walked around him.

He didn't have many personal effects; just a wallet and a hip-flask, as well as his clothes.

His expression was one of peace.

It looked as if he had just fallen asleep.

A sudden noise behind me made me jump.

I expected to see Alexx, or perhaps Derek, but no.

It was another of her colleagues, Dr Glen Monroe.

He carefully closed the door behind him and, looking over his shoulder, headed toward the body.

He headed for the body's personal effects immediately and found the hip-flask.

A look of triumph on his face, he opened the hip-flask and put it to his lips.

After taking a huge gulp of what ever was in the flask, he put it down again with the other personal effects and headed to leave.

He was almost out of the door before he realised what he had done. He knew that Alexx would find out, somehow.

She knew that there was some drink left in the flask before Glen had drunk it.

She would know…

He picked up the flask and pocketed it. Obviously so he could dispose of it later.

He is in so much trouble.

I followed him out of the morgue to the locker room. Once there, he opened the flask again and put it to his lips, sucking the last few drops of liquid out of it. When he was sure it was totally empty, he shoved it behind the lockers and walked out of the break room confidently.

He met Alexx in the corridor and talked to her as if nothing had happened.

How does he have the nerve to speak to her after what he has just done?

I may be dead, but I do have morals!

I will tell Alexx what has happened, when I see her alone.

--------------------

She found out before I could tell her.

She has assigned Calleigh to work the internal investigation.

She's working on it now.

The flask has been found and Calleigh is running the prints.

Now is my chance to tell Alexx.

"Hey, Alexx? Can I have a word?"

Her tone was tinged with annoyance.

"_Not now sugar. I'm busy on this case with the internal investigation. I think that my new recruit has stolen property from him…" _

She indicated the body, which was now totally covered by a sheet.

"It's about that."

She stopped making notes on her clipboard and turned to me.

"_What did you see?"_

"I saw everything! It was one of the doctors, Dr Monroe."

"_Glen Monroe?"_

I nodded.

"_I've got to tell Calleigh…"_

She practically ran out of the morgue, with me following closely behind her.

--------------------

We found Calleigh in a lab. She had just stood up from a computer.

She saw Alexx running towards her.

"_Alexx! I was just coming to see you. I found out who stole the flask, his name is…"_

"_Glen Monroe?"_

"_Yeah! How did you know?"_

"_Er…" _she had to think quickly for an answer. _"…Gut feeling. Thanks for doing this honey."_

She took Calleigh's report and left.

Calleigh watched her leave, standing with her arms folded across her chest, a slightly confused look on her face.

I stood beside her, in exactly the same position.

It was only later, much later, that day that I realised why we were mirroring each other.

We had solved a case together.

I was the witness, she was the CSI.

We had solved a case together again.

The buzz I got from nearly going back to work again was indescribable.


	12. Shootout

The case today: a gang shootout.

In the ER of all places.

For all I care, the gangs can just shoot at each other until they all die.

As long as none of the public gets hurt, it doesn't matter.

They are better off dead anyway.

Save us a lot of trouble.

The only casualties in this attack were gang members, but it could have easily been much worse.

--------------------

Calleigh and Eric were chasing bullets.

Well, Calleigh was chasing bullets. Eric was helping.

They were trying to find the origin of all the rounds that had been fired.

With the help of some lasers and two foam crash dummies, she quickly found out where their mystery bullet had come from.

Is there anything she can't find out about bullets?

I doubt it.

She span around and followed the laser, but as she did, I felt a sensation that was all too familiar.

Thick, golden mist descended over the world and everything was still.

I could see people through the translucent fog but not the person I was looking for.

Suddenly, I felt a strong hand on my shoulder.

"_Tim."_

"Eve."

I knew who it was without even turning around.

"_Shall we talk?"_ she asked.

That statement was phrased as a question, but we both knew I couldn't argue.

I followed her out of the hospital crime scene and a little way down the road to the nearby beach.

She strode onto the sand, her bare feet making no prints.

I followed her toward the Ocean, wondering when she was intending to stop, when she halted and sat down.

I wondered for a moment whether it mattered if she got sand on her flawless white dress, but then realised that she was Eve.

She was God.

It didn't matter if she got sand on her robes, because she _is_ every grain of sand.

She patted the sand next to her, so I slowly sank to my knees and sat down beside her, my feet towards the sea.

The waves were the only think moving in this still, silent world.

We sat and watched the sea move for a few long minutes, or was it seconds? I can't remember.

Then Eve spoke.

"_How are you coping?"_

"I'm fine. Yeah, it's great. I'm doing my best for Calleigh, even thought that's really not good enough for her is it? She deserves better!" I gushed. "A weird thing happened a couple of days ago though. It was like we solved-"

"_No, Tim,"_ she cut me off. _"How are you doing?"_

I realised that I had been babbling like an idiot and not actually answered her question.

Before I started to try to answer again, I thought about my words and weighted them carefully before saying them.

"It's hard."

She nodded.

"It's not like it's physically hard or anything… but it's hard for me."

"_In what way?" _

I couldn't help feeling like I was back at the department, talking to the department shrink.

"I'm struggling to get through each day. This feeling of responsibility is…huge."

"_Tim, you were chosen as a guardian angel because you are the right person to do it. You care for everyone in that team so much."_

I nodded.

That much at least was true. I cared for them all, even Ryan, in the strangest way.

I didn't want him, or any of them, to suffer the same fate I did.

"_It is a shame that you have to do this alone, without anyone to talk to…"_

I thought then would be a good time to tell her about Alexx.

"Um… actually there is someone…"

"_Which is why,"_ she continued, _"I made sure that someone in your team could get through. I gave her the gift."_

"You did?" I asked. I was totally grateful for Alexx being able to talk to me and me being able to talk to her.

I've said it many times before, but it's her that kept me sane.

"_Tim, does anyone other than Alexx know about you? Has she told anyone?"_

"No. We agreed that she wouldn't say anything to anyone."

"_Good. That's very important. If the guarded knows about the angel, the bond of trust between them is broken. The guarded trusts the angel without even knowing it."_

I swallowed, glad the Alexx and I had agreed that I should stay secret.

Eve continued her explanation.

"_Never has it happened that the guarded knows about their angel, either before or after the guardian time."_

At that moment, I nearly opened my mouth to ask a question that had been burning on my mind for quite a while, but decided against it.

I said nothing.

A chill breeze touched my skin and told me that the gold, translucent fog had lifted.

I turned to where Eve had been sitting, just moments before, only to find the beach empty.

--------------------

The rest of the day was uneventful. Boring even.

The only remotely interesting thing that happened was Ryan saving a baby from the nanny that had kidnapped her, and returning the baby to her mother.

Strangely enough, the nanny loved the child more than it's mother did.

--------------------

With another sleepless night ahead of me, I headed to Calleigh's flat.

No, the dead don't _need _to sleep.

Just, many _like _to sleep.

Guardian angels are always denied that luxury.

I spent my night sitting awake in Calleigh's room, watching her sleep.

It would have been very romantic, if I wasn't dead.

That's how I spend every night.

I wait for her to change and get into bed.

Then I step into her bedroom and watch her.

Sometimes, she'll read. Other nights she'll go right to sleep.

Once the light goes out, I sit on the end of her bed and watch her sleep.

But that night… that night was different.

At about half midnight I felt, for the second time that day, the fog that told me that Eve was around somewhere.

I glanced around the room and saw Eve standing by the bedroom window.

"Eve?"

"_I thought earlier that there was something that you wanted to say, but didn't. Do you want to ask me now?"_

She was right.

There were things I didn't say, that I wanted to when we met earlier that day.

My mouth went dry as I decided to go ahead and ask my question.

I knew that I wouldn't get another chance to say it.

"Is it… is there any way I can talk to Calleigh?"

Eve avoided making eye contact with me as she made her way across the room to Calleigh's bedside.

She knelt down on the bed, and gently brushed Calleigh's hair off her face.

I had not dared to touch Calleigh.

I didn't have the nerve.

I just couldn't do it.

It would never feel right, to touch Calleigh now, even in a way like that.

Something as simple as brushing away her hair was an area I wouldn't like to enter.

I looked at Eve and Calleigh again.

Eve's hand was still on Calleigh's face, gently grazing her cheek.

Eve's dark skin was a huge contrast against Calleigh's pale skin.

"_No."_

Eve's voice brought me back to reality.

I felt a pain in my chest.

The possibility of talking to Calleigh again was always in my heart, until Eve shattered my dreams.

"So that's it? I can never talk to Calleigh again…ever?"

Eve paused. She seemed to be choosing her words.

"_You cannot talk to her while you are her guardian angel."_

I felt a glimmer of hope.

"What about after? After I'm her guardian angel? What about then?" I asked eagerly.

Our eyes met.

The slightly mournful look on her face told me all I needed to know.

I nodded.

My question was answered.

I closed my eyes.

I was disappointed and despairing.

One of the few things that was keeping me going, had been ripped brutally out from inside my heart.

I felt the fog lift.

Eve was gone.


	13. Cop Killer

**Okay there might not be an update for quite a while because I have my exams this week, and then on saturday, it's my birthday! I'm going to be fourteen whoot! R+R thanks!

* * *

**

The team is on level ground now.

They all know what it's like to lose a member of their team.

My team, my old team all know.

And now, Ryan knows.

He knows how it feels.

One of the victims was one of patrol.

"_Did you know Officer Insko?"_ Calleigh asked him as they arrived at the crime scene.

"_I knew of him. He was a good cop."_

I could see in Calleigh's face that she was sympathising with him.

When a cop is killed, everyone puts in as much effort as they can to find the killer.

Especially if it's one of their own team.

Ryan used to be on patrol. He knew the victim.

This is going to be a hard case for him.

It'll always be hard for any officer to work the case of another officer, we are all in the same boat after all, but when you know the officer, well, that makes it worse.

--------------------

Their job just got harder. They have found evidence of a seventeen year old ride along.

And he's missing.

I would have never taken a ride along if I had been offered one.

I hate kids and always have.

Much more Horatio's thing than mine.

But Ryan is good with children.

It's always useful to be a "kid person" in a job like this.

--------------------

"_Girls are attracted to bad boys."_

Ryan and Calleigh were working in a lab together later that day, talking about how a sixteen year old, high grade student, ended up dating a criminal.

Calleigh smirked at Ryan's comment.

"_Do tell!"_

"_Ah come on! Don't tell me you haven't been tempted!"_

I know Calleigh better than that.

Or at least, I thought I did.

Well, Peter Elliot might not be described as a "bad boy" exactly.

He's from the secret service and Calleigh has started seeing him.

I don't know if it's even allowed for them to be dating, but they did meet outside work, so I guess it's okay.

I hope it's okay. For Calleigh's sake.

I'd hate for her to get into trouble over this.

When I was alive, it was very rare for her to be in a relationship.

The only relationship she had was with John Hagen.

That I knew of.

I don't think anyone in the department knows about this yet.

Now that I think about it, she could easily have had many relationships without us knowing.

She's good at keeping secrets.

Of course she is.

If she doesn't want anyone to know how she is, or what she's thinking, there is no way for them to find out.

Sometimes I admire her for that ability and other times I hate it.

No one knows if she needs help or someone to talk to.

She hides away in her shell where no one can get to her.

I feel lucky, privileged even, that I sometimes see the softer side.

The side that no one sees.

The occasional second when she's alone and can drop her barriers.

Sometimes, I can tell that she's hurting inside, but why, I don't know.

--------------------

Yelina and Calleigh were interviewing an underage female suspect.

They shouldn't have been doing it because they don't have an attorney or the suspect's parents there, but they needed to find a missing person and that girl could have had the answer.

They haven't finished questioning her when the interview was cut short.

Rebecca Nevins arrived at the lab.

Rebecca Nevins is a lawyer.

She's also Horatio's girlfriend.

You could say that that causes tension between her and Yelina, but that would be a bit of an understatement.

Rebecca is lecturing Yelina and Calleigh about not waiting for her.

They both know that in a perfect world, they should have waited.

But the world isn't perfect, is it?

"_Are you questioning my conduct?" _Rebecca asked, stunned.

Yelina was quick to reply.

"_Maybe it needs to be questioned. This is my case. I don't need you to tell me how to run it."_

"_Yours for now, but it's going to be mine later. Seems like there's a lot of that going around these days."_

I had heard girls fight before, but I have never heard anything so spiteful.

I saw Calleigh's stunned face and realised she had never heard such a cruel insult either.

She was obviously talking about Horatio in her last comment.

Yelina and Horatio used to be happy together.

Even after Raymond, they had a bond stronger than that of sister in-law and brother in-law.

And Rebecca had the cheek to make that kind of comment, after seeing Horatio for a couple of months.

--------------------

Calleigh headed back to her house at the end of shift and met Peter Elliot there.

They were preparing to cook a meal together.

Calleigh was smiling and happy, Peter was grinning smugly.

Yeah, he should be smug.

A man like him is very lucky to get a girl like Calleigh.

I decided that I could leave Calleigh's apartment for a while; she would be alright.

Without even realising, I found myself heading back to work.

When I reached the front steps, I saw Horatio there, talking to Rebecca.

"_So, dinner tonight, my place?"_ she asked. She, like Peter Elliot, was looking smug.

"_I'm not going to be able to do that."_

"_Let me guess. You're visiting Insko's widow?"_

"_Yeah. I'm going to go see her and the kid."_

"_Okay, dessert, then. I'll just leave the door..."_

She just won't quit, will she?

"_That's not going to happen, either."_

"_What's going on? Is this about what I said to Yelina?"_

"_Um... no."_

Horatio was a little slow in answering.

You didn't need to be an expert in body language to know that he was lying.

It's all about what Rebecca said to Yelina.

"_Oh. So, it's the deal I made. I stand by my decision."_

"_And I stand by mine."_

Well done Horatio. You deserve so much better than her anyway.

--------------------

I wonder who told Horatio about Rebecca's argument with Yelina.

I don't think it was Yelina.

It certainly wasn't Rebecca.

I don't think it's Calleigh's style either.

--------------------

After about an hour and a half of drifting around aimlessly, I headed back to Calleigh's apartment.

The lights were still on, but as I approached, they went out.

Elliot's presence had been making my job a lot harder.

I don't go into her apartment when he's there, in case I'm… you know… _interrupting something._

I don't want to embarrass myself by seeing something I shouldn't, so I sat down outside her front door.

I'll know if someone's getting into her apartment, without actually having to be inside.

I know I'm paranoid, but that's the point, isn't it?


	14. One Night Stand

_Argh... sorry this chapter has very little to do with the episode. It's just that I watched the episode, like, a week ago and I've forgotten almost everything that happened!It might be apretty poor chapter, but it's something just the same. read'n'review

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_

I don't think Calleigh's secret will stay secret for long.

Peter Elliot was in the department today.

He met Horatio and they are not exactly on speaking terms.

Elliot was announced to Horatio as _"Secret service guy cooling his heels in reception."_

His face hardened as Elliot discussed the case with him.

"_I have jurisdiction here," _Elliot informed him.

Like he didn't know.

Horatio doesn't like Elliot.

Neither do I for that matter.

But Calleigh obviously does, so I'm not going to ruin it for her. I just hope Horatio doesn't either.

Calleigh was working a different case so she didn't meet up with Peter.

Luckily for her.

If anyone found out what was going on between her and Peter, it might not be just Calleigh in trouble but the whole department.

People even higher up the food chain might think that he is favouring the department because of his relationship with Calleigh.

Then everyone is in trouble.

Calleigh, I hope you know what you are doing.

--------------------

I know I've often said this before, but Horatio will make a great guardian angel!

Earlier, he and Ryan were entering an abandoned warehouse.

Warily, they headed to the centre of the room.

Horatio's head suddenly turned towards the ceiling.

He had heard something.

"_Do you hear something?"_

A slight ticking could be heard.

"_Out the way we came, right now!"_

A moment later, Horatio and Ryan were outside, sprinting for their lives.

There was a white-hot fireball and a huge explosion in the warehouse they had been in only seconds before.

Horatio, the guardian angel of the team.

He'd be much better at this job than I am.

In fact, why can't we swap places?

I could go back to being alive and then Horatio would…

Horatio would be…

He would have to be dead.

No.

We won't swap places.

Horatio does well enough as a guardian angel without actually being dead.

--------------------

They found the bomber.

I remember, quite a while ago there had been bombs inside collars that were strapped around people's necks.

It had been very much Horatio's case, that one.

Not only did he used to be in the bomb squad, but his mentor was killed while trying to neutralise the first bomb.

He worked to solve the case, but in the end he got his killer.

Just like he did today.

All he had to do was find all the parts of the bomb and recreate the device.

I know that bomb components are quite easy to find, because of the vacuum created by the original blast.

I know _that_ because I read it somewhere.

I remember that Calleigh had teased me mercilessly about my knowledge.

They were good times.

That was how they solved that case, and how they solved it today.

--------------------

"_I met your boss today."_

"_Who, Horatio?"_

"_Yes."_

I'm listening to Calleigh and Peter talk.

It's his last night in Miami before he goes back to Washington.

As much as I don't like him, I don't really want him to leave.

He's made Calleigh happier than I've seen her in months.

"_Horatio's alright."_ She said, defending her boss.

"_He wasn't too happy with me though. I don't think he likes me much…"_ Peter mused.

"_Well, that's Horatio for you. He's really a nice guy and he's been really supportive over the last few months. He helped me; he helped all of us though."_

"_What, through Speedle's death?"_

"_Yeah."_

Calleigh looked down at her lap.

She obviously didn't want to talk about me with Peter.

I'm glad of it.

It's very difficult to hear others talk about you when you can't go and stand up for yourself.

I've been suffering that for too long.

"_Calleigh," _Peter said, breaking the uneasy silence,_ "are you sure you're alright with me going back to Washington? I'm sure I could stay another day-"_

"_I'm fine!"_ she snapped.

She didn't like people worrying about her and Peter being protective annoyed her a lot.

I thought back to how annoyed she had been when Eric stopped someone from hitting her. Then, Eric had a reason to be protective.

Peter checking on her for no good reason, other than genuinely caring, was something that totally infuriated her.

She seemed to realise that she had been a little mean to Peter.

All he did was care for her and she had bitten his head of for it.

She bit her lip and mumbled _"I didn't mean it to sound like that."_

"_It's okay."_

As he spoke, he put his arm around Calleigh's shoulder.

I expected her to jump away from him as if she had been scalded, but she didn't.

In fact, se did the total opposite.

She shuffled a bit closer to him on the sofa and leaned against him.

I was very surprised at her movement.

I rounded the sofa, hoping to see their faces.

When I did, I suddenly understood why Calleigh had been acting odd.

Her expression told me everything I needed to know.

She _doesn't_ want Peter to leave.

She _will_ miss him when he's gone.

I'm not quite sure if I'm seeing this.

She has become close enough to someone to miss them when they are not there and to allow them to comfort her.

I thought, that if she ever let that happen, she'd be most likely to let Eric into her life.

I mean, they used to stay at each other's houses sometimes and I saw them hugging once after they had had a hard day.

I thought that Eric might be the one person that Calleigh might let into her bubble.

I knew I would never be so lucky. We were always just good friends.

But I didn't expect that she would let someone in that no one else knows about.

Someone that people at the department, her closest friends, don't like or even know.

I really don't believe this, but Calleigh Duquesne is starting to feel.


	15. Identity

_Hey! I will get my 100th review this chapter! Woo! Unless you all decided to hate me and refuse to review!Hehe_

_Okay, last chapter was E/C implied, butthis one is slightly Peter Elliot/Calleigh and VERY Speed/Calleigh._

_Enjoy! R+R dont forget review hahah!

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_

Peter Elliot awoke in the early hours of the morning.

He looked at the clock and cursed.

03:27

He would have to leave in just over half an hour to get his plane back to Washington.

With a sigh, he untangled himself from the bed sheets and headed to the bathroom.

As I stood by the bed, I couldn't help notice how empty it looked. Calleigh's small figure was swamped by the size of it.

The bed needed two people in it, or it didn't look right. It's a double bed, made for two people.

_That's better, _I thought, a moment later.

I knew that I was invading her privacy.

I knew that I shouldn't have slipped under the covers, but it felt right.

It's not like anything can happen.

Calleigh will never even know I'm here.

I closed my eyes and edged closer to Calleigh.

Her warm breath was on my face when I closed my eyes.

A few seconds, or was it hours, later, I opened them again.

I had felt movement next to me.

Calleigh rolled onto her side so she was facing me.

One of her hands stretched out and came to rest on my chest.

Her arm didn't slide through me.

It took me a moment to realise how strange that was.

_Her arm didn't slide through me._

My flesh was no longer ghostly, but human.

I was alive again, back in my mortal state.

Calleigh's hand shifted on my chest.

I was alive and in the one place I had always wanted to be but never thought I could get to.

Next to Calleigh.

With that thought, I fell asleep for the first time in a long while.

--------------------

I woke up, blinking, a couple of hours later.

I could still feel where Calleigh's hand had been.

It was as if her skin was on fire and had left a searing burn on my chest.

I glanced around and saw that I was alone.

I started to panic, not knowing where Calleigh was, but only for a moment because a second later, I heard the shower turn on in the next room.

She must be in the shower. I won't intrude.

I sat on the bed, remembering what had happened the night before.

It had seemed that I had got my body back.

It had seemed that I was no longer a ghost.

But if I had got my body back, why hadn't Calleigh noticed me when she got up earlier?

Surely she would have woken me.

Or maybe, everything that happened was just a dream, a hope, a mirage showing me what I've always dreamed of, but snatching it away only seconds after.

Well, I have to try it. I have to find out if I am human or spirit.

I'll try opening a door by the handle.

If I fall through the door, I'm still a ghost.

If not…

As I reached the door to the bathroom, the sound of water hitting the shower tray stopped.

I couldn't try opening the bathroom door, in case it worked and I ended up walking in on her.

While I stood there thinking about my next move, the door opened.

Calleigh was standing there, wearing only a towel and another one around her wet hair.

She didn't hesitate before walking out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, going right through me.

My hopes were dashed.

It had all been a dream.

I hadn't got my body back at all.

It was all in my head.

It's as if my brain showed me what I have always dreamt about and then snatched it away from me and told me that I'm not good enough for her.

Of course I'm not good enough for her.

I'd hurt her too badly and that's the last thing I want to do.

--------------------

As Calleigh came into work that day, she passed a room where Ryan was talking to a suspect.

I heard a snippet of their conversation through the open door.

"_Let me fetch a more senior colleague."_

Ryan stood up and left the room just as Calleigh walked into the break room.

He glanced around, probably looking for Horatio, I thought.

Horatio was out on a crime scene.

But that didn't matter because Wolfe was actually looking for…

"_Calleigh?"_ He called,_ "Err… I need you to help me…"_

Calleigh was slightly amused.

"_Why?"_

"_Because I have no idea what I'm doing! This woman I talked to earlier, she claimed to be the victim of identity theft. Now, she,"_ he pointed to the interview room,_ "comes in and she claims that she is the victim."_

Calleigh nodded, understanding his problem.

"_Okay, I'll be ready in a moment. Just give me a second…"_

Ryan took that to mean that if he waited, she would be coming in the next few seconds.

Calleigh really meant that she wanted to be alone for a moment.

She pulled her cell out of her bag and started dialling a number and as she did, she gave Ryan a look that very clearly said "Leave me alone."

He did.

Calleigh pressed the Call Button and held her phone to her ear.

It rang for about half a minute before going to voicemail.

I saw Calleigh curse under her breath before leaving a message.

"_Umm… Heya Peter… It's Calleigh…Just seeing if you have landed yet…Obviously not…Umm…Call me when you can…"_

She hesitated, unsure of how to end the message.

"…_Missing you already…Bye…"_

She sighed and looked at her phone, the screen cheerfully telling her that her call had been fifty-seven seconds long.

With an abrupt snap, she shut the phone and put it in her locker.

She then headed out to where Ryan was waiting.

I remembered what he had said before.

"…_A senior colleague…"_

It's strange, but I've never seen Calleigh as senior to anyone in the department.

Probably because she was a lower rank than I was.

Now though, she's second highest ranked CSI in the department.

Second only to Horatio.

_That _is strange.

If Horatio were to leave, Calleigh would become lieutenant.

For a second, I had a mental image of Calleigh, stepping out of one of the department Hummers, putting her hands on her hips and putting on a pair of sunglasses.

I couldn't help but laugh.

--------------------

Their case isn't going to make it to court.

It's only identity theft; other crimes are considered more important.

"_Non-violent crime is not a priority!"_ Calleigh told Ryan. She was obviously just as frustrated by that fact as he was.

"_This is not what I signed up for!"_

None of us signed up to work identity theft cases that won't even make court.

Some of us joined to pursue justice and protect their city.

Others want the glory and thrill of catching murderers.

But sometimes, we just have to work cases like this one.

Ryan is going to drive himself crazy if he thinks like that.

Like every case must be followed through, right to the end, with another criminal in jail.

It doesn't always work like that.

--------------------

But this case may actually end with a court case and a conviction.

A body has been found; the body of one of the victim of identity theft.

Calleigh and Ryan met Alexx at the crime scene.

Alexx was leaning over the door of the red convertible to get a closer look at the body.

When she saw Ryan and Calleigh arrive, she straightened up.

"_Can I...?" _Ryan asked, indicating the corpse.

"_Go ahead baby,"_ Alexx replied.

She headed towards the coroners van to fetch a body-bag, so I followed her in the hope of a moment to chat to her.

"Baby?" I muttered once we were out of earshot.

"_Well, he is the baby of the team isn't he?"_ replied Alexx.

We turned and saw Ryan standing side by side with Calleigh.

He was nearly a foot taller than her and her head only just reached his shoulders.

I knew that Alexx was thinking the same thing as me.

"You know? Earlier, Ryan went to fetch a senior officer to help him. Give you three guesses who."

"_Calleigh?"_ she guessed while chuckling slightly at the thought.

"Yeah. It's strange."

"_Hmmm," _agreed Alexx, slightly absent-mindedly. She was busy getting the body-bag out of the van.

"_She's going to go far, you know."_

"Yeah."

"_Next in line for the lieutenant post… she'll do fine."_

--------------------

Calleigh headed home after a good day.

She and Wolfe had found out who had committed murder: the victim's wife.

Ryan had got the case to court after all.

Calleigh went into her apartment and collapsed on the sofa.

She wriggled her feet out of her high heeled shoes and curled her legs under her, before turning on the TV by remote.

She watched The News At Six, before a blinking light on her answering machine caught her attention.

She shuffled to the other end of the sofa and pressed the button marked "hear message".

"_Hello Calleigh…I got your call…It was nice to hear from you once I had landed… Anyway, I'll see you soon hopefully. Bye."_

Calleigh grinned and lay back on the sofa.

She didn't quite realise then how soon it would be before she would see him again and how his return could change her life, or at least, change an old relationship.


	16. Nothing To Lose

Something happened today that made me smile.

Calleigh got wolf-whistled!

Occasionally when Calleigh walked into the lab, I would have to remind Eric not to whistle. I even had to remind myself a couple of times!

But today, it wasn't just one person whistling; it was several burly firemen!

In fact, more than several… it was a whole fire crew!

What really made me smile was how she handled it. She walked confidently through the group of men without even turning her head to one side, almost as if she hadn't noticed them!

It was like spring break all over again!

----------FLASHBACK----------

We had been working during spring break and at one of Calleigh's crime scenes, a teenager had tried to get her to flash him for the camera.

Coolly, she pulled back her jacket, showing her gun and badge.

"_This hot enough for you, or do you want to see my weapons permit?"_

----------END FLASHBACK----------

Calleigh has always had lots of attention from men.

Well, of course she has.

That's why we try and protect her, I guess.

Not all the attention is light-hearted flirting, is it?

But I guess that's the way this world is.

--------------------

"_You okay?"_

Calleigh's caring nature shone while she visited Alexx, who was doing an autopsy.

Alexx and Eric had been nearly caught in a forest fire in the Everglades earlier that day. A similar accident had happened before. I'm certainly getting a feeling of déjà vu.

Or maybe they're just cursed.

I'll make sure neither of them end up in the Everglades whenever there's a fire risk!

"_Crispy around the edges, but I'll survive,"_ replied Alexx cheerfully.

--------------------

A few hours later, I heard that Horatio was going to the marina and, as I was confident that Calleigh would be okay for and hour or so, I decided to go with him.

When we arrived, I was very surprised at what we found.

On one of the yachts, there was a dying man.

He was lying on the back of the boat, with a machete in his chest.

Horatio's eyes widened when he saw him.

I saw Horatio try and keep the man still and calm him down. Unfortunately, he was in too much pain.

I could see in his eyes that he was about to pull the sword out of his chest and put an end to the agony he was going through.

"Don't do it!" I urged, "You still have a chance! You can be saved!"

Suddenly, with a sickening crunch, he wrenched machete out of his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

That sigh was his last breath.

At the same time, I saw his soul escape from his body and materialise next to me.

"_Oh my god! I'm dead!"_ the soul cried.

"Very clever," I muttered sarcastically.

I knew I should have been comforting him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I know he didn't cause his own death, but the fact that he struck the final blow made me feel as if it was his own fault that he was dead.

"You could have had a chance, you know," I told him. "You might not have died."

He turned to me, just as Horatio closed the eyes of the dead body.

"_You haven't been in that situation. You don't know what it's like. You would have made the same decision."_

"You have only just died! You don't know what it's like to be dead. I'll talk to you four months down the line. Then you'll see how important life is! You might regret ending your life."

"_I would have died anyway."_

His voice was solemn and he looked to the ground.

"Not necessarily."

--------------------

I met Alexx just as she was driving away from the Everglades, back to the lab.

The trunk of her van was loaded with a gurney and everything seemed normal.

Even so, I still had a bad feeling…

"_Alexx Woods, Medical Examiner," _she informed the guards, while she showed them her ID.

As we drove off, I decided to speak up about my uneasiness.

"There's something not quite right about this Alexx."

She was about to answer, to laugh and tell me to stop being so silly, when the unthinkable happened.

The body on the gurney sat up.

He was holding a gun, which he pointed at Alexx.

"_Do what I say, or I will kill your children."_

"_I'll do exactly as you say."_ Alexx's voice was quiet and fearful.

Her eyes darted to me for a second, willing me to help her.

"I can't," I whispered.

"_Please,"_ she said aloud.

The man with the gun looked at her suspiciously.

"…_don't hurt me."_ She finished.

--------------------

"_Pull over," _he ordered a minute later.

Alexx stopped the van obediently.

I watched from the passenger seat as Alexx was roughly dragged from the driver's seat.

He forced her to dress the wound in his chest.

She wound the bandages around his body in an intricate pattern and tied them in an intricate knot I wasn't familiar with.

She then made her way to the driver's seat again.

"_I think I'll ride up front with you, Doc,"_ he said as he climbed into the van.

I had been sitting in the passenger seat a moment before he sat down and only just managed to scramble into the back of the van in time.

Alexx started the engine and drove.

I sat behind her with my hand on her shoulder. I know it wasn't much, but it was the best I could do.

I felt so helpless, unable to save Alexx when she needed it.

She drove, on his directions, to a seemingly random house.

Once there, he ordered Alexx out of the car and he dragged her into the house.

Inside there was a young boy, who was playing a computer game.

When Alexx and the man arrived, the child was struck with fear.

The man was still waving his gun around, so of course the child was scared.

Alexx begged that he left the child alone, but he didn't.

He ordered the child into his father's office and pushed Alexx in after him.

Alexx went to the boy immediately and hugged him.

I stood between them and the man, who was now looking through the office drawers.

He found what he was looking for quickly, and soon he was forcing Alexx and the child back out to the front of the house again.

Everything had been moving so fast, but suddenly, it seemed to move into slow motion.

First, the man showed the child a body that was in the trunk.

"_You bastard,"_ Alexx spat. _"You sick, sick bastard."_

She hugged the screaming child to her chest, as she would for her own children.

Unfortunately, the man didn't take to kindly to being sworn at.

"_Get down,"_ he told the both.

He was about to shoot them.

He was about to shoot an innocent child, and a woman who had done nothing wrong.

I was ready to react.

I felt sure I could do something to intervene, but before I could even move, Alexx had started fighting.

"_Run!"_ she screamed at the child.

He ran.

Alexx wrestled the man for a moment and I watched, paralysed with shock.

The man was taller and stronger than Alexx, and he was holding a gun. He soon overpowered Alexx.

"_Get down,"_ he told her again, but this time it was louder and with more urgency.

He had heard the police sirens in the distance.

Alexx, so scared that she was shaking, obeyed.

There was no way I couldn't have acted.

I couldn't leave Alexx to get shot.

I did all I felt I could.

I shielded Alexx with my body.

"_What are you doing?"_ she whispered frantically as I lay down, covering her.

"Just trust me," I replied.

I had a feeling that what I was doing just might work.

I heard him cock the gun behind us and Alexx closed her eyes.

I grasped her hand in mine, tightly as I could.

We waited for the inevitable.

The inevitable that never came.

Suddenly Alexx was surrounded by police cars and officers and detectives.

Horatio was comforting her and asking questions, all at the same time.

Then he decided that she needed to go home.

She was only alone once she got into the patrol car.

Except that she wasn't alone because I was in the seat next to her.

"I'm sorry about that Alexx."

"_About what?"_

"For… uh… laying on you."

Alexx didn't whisper a comment at this. She stared straight ahead, a peculiar expression on her face.

"Are you okay?"

Alexx let out a stifled giggle.

"What?"

"_What you did. It would have been funny, if I wasn't about to get shot."_

"Ooh haha. Hilariously funny."

"_Timmy, lighten up. And stop being so sarcastic."_

We fell into silence until we reached Alexx's home.

When the car stopped, we both got out and walked to her front door.

Alexx was getting out her keys when she spoke.

"_Thank you."_

I was about to open my mouth to ask what I was being thanked for, when Alexx pecked me on the cheek.

"_Bye Timmy. My guardian angel."_


	17. Money Plane

_Okay, a lot of you might hate me because of this chapter! (ducks Hatemail)_

_

* * *

_If only life wasn't so complicated. 

There are so many little things that make life harder.

One of them being having to work with your very possessive ex-boyfriend.

And just to make matters worse, your current partner is also working with you.

I don't envy Calleigh at the moment, because that has just summed up her day.

--------------------

Calleigh was taking photos of the crime scene when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"_Calleigh!"_

"_John!" _

Calleigh greeted Hagen kindly and with a huge smile, despite the fact she was very uneasy with the situation.

I stepped out of earshot so I wasn't intruding, and found myself standing next to Ryan.

It took me a moment for me to realise that I was doing the exact same thing as the man that had taken my place in the team.

He was watching Calleigh and Hagen talk. His face showed exactly how I felt.

A little jealous, slightly left out and very protective.

Jealous of Hagen, left out of the conversation, protective of Calleigh.

Ryan has a crush on Calleigh. That's obvious and has always been.

He's still staring at her like she's an angel, fallen from heaven, despite the fact she is wearing the most unflattering cardigan. A green cardigan, I might add.

Hagen left and Calleigh walked toward Ryan and I.

"_What was that all about?" _

Ryan had been told about Calleigh's ex, but he hadn't been told details. Just the general story… Hagen used to be Raymond Caine's partner and Calleigh had dated him for a bit, but broken up with him soon after.

"_It's complicated,"_ Calleigh replied.

She started to explain why Hagen had been off work for so long.

"_Something about a bad back…"_

"_Yeah, I've heard that one before."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

Ooh Calleigh, don't try and protect him. I have a feeling he deserves whatever Ryan is going to say.

"_On patrol, "bad back" means he can't get cleared by the department shrink."_

I was right.

Hagen definitely deserved that comment.

--------------------

Calleigh is having trouble working with Hagen.

He offered his help and she accepted it professionally.

"_Want my help?"_

"_Absolutely. It's your investigation too."_

Only a slight discomfort showed as she spoke to Hagen.

But, if she's feeling uncomfortable with Hagen around, then I'm uncomfortable having him around.

End of story.

--------------------

The case they are working on is a plane crash. They were trying to find out whether the crash was an accident or not, but then a large amount of money was discovered in the wreckage. This means that there will be someone coming down from Washington.

This probably means that Peter Elliot is flying back to Miami.

I hate that guy.

Well, hate is a very negative word.

But I still hate that guy.

--------------------

Calleigh and Hagen were in a lab, processing the money, when Elliot arrived.

Calleigh, who had previously been talking to Hagen, turned her attention to Elliot immediately.

She introduced them and then opened a conversation with Elliot, as if Hagen wasn't even there.

She asked him about the forgery case they had had recently.

The one where Elliot had found time to visit Calleigh after their shifts were finished.

"_I worked that case with Horatio," _Elliot muttered.

"_And I do not even get a hello?"_ asked Calleigh, in the most flirtatious voice she could muster.

Well, she got more than just a "hello."

An awful lot more.

"_I dropped by. You weren't here."_

I can't believe them! Lying to Hagen's face!

I stormed out of the lab, before I did something I would later regret.

Glancing back, I only saw one thing.

Hagen's face. Disappointed, jealous and betrayed.

--------------------

I couldn't face shadowing Calleigh for the next hour or so.

I just wandered around aimlessly.

When Calleigh left the lab, with Peter, I stayed out of earshot, so there was no chance of me hearing them say something that would anger me again.

Seeing them together was painful enough for me already.

Because I was angry with them just made it worse.

--------------------

I was sitting in Trace, my old lab.

Calleigh was around somewhere so I wasn't worried about her.

I watched various technicians come in and out and even Horatio looked in, checking up on his evidence.

I had been planning to stay there all day, until I heard the voices of Calleigh and Hagen in the corridor.

"_What's with you and the secret service guy?"_ asked Hagen's gruff voice.

"_We're colleagues. Not that it's your business."_

True, it isn't Hagen's business if Calleigh is sleeping with someone from FBI. No. That's Horatio's business.

Unfortunately, I was watching this scene unfold from quite a distance away.

If I had been closer, I would have been able to prevent what happened next.

Calleigh, obviously fed up of the conversation, made to walk away.

Hagen, angry, grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back.

"_I'll make it my business."_

I stood rooted to the spot.

No matter how angry I had been with Calleigh, I still wanted to protect her.

But when she needed me, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"_Walk away John,"_ Calleigh told him, her voice not wavering in the slightest.

Hagen refused to give up until he got his answer.

"_Are you sleeping with him?"_

Calleigh, for God's sake, tell him the truth!

"_I think you need to remember what I do for a living."_

Calleigh, just tell him.

He's going to find out anyway.

Hagen let go of her arm and she walked away without another word.

He hung his head, ashamed that he had acted in such a controlling way.

I followed Calleigh, with my eyes, to the other end of the building.

When she turned around a corner another figure stepped out.

It was Eve.

I could see, even over the distance between us, that she was angry.

There was a furious fire in her eyes that I had not seen before.

In an instant, she was standing only a foot in front of me.

I could feel the heat and anger radiating from her as she spoke.

"_Tim Speedle, you idiot."_

"What?" I asked.

"_The one time that Calleigh has needed you, the time she has been most vulnerable since you became her guardian angel, you are not there for her."_

"I… She… I…"

I tried to stutter out an excuse, but I couldn't find any words to say.

My actions were inexcusable, I know that.

I was trusted with looking after Calleigh and I couldn't do it when I needed to.

"_Tim, I'm not sure that you are fit to be Calleigh's guardian angel."_

Her words hit me like a tsunami hits a small island.

…I can't be her guardian angel…

…It's over…

…The one thing that was keeping me going…

…It's gone…

--------------------

The next few hours were the lowest I've ever felt.

I had no purpose.

No reason to do anything.

No reason to be alive.

I left the lab and headed away from everything that had happened.

I couldn't face seeing anyone from the lab, so I went to the coast and watched the waves.

I know how much my death had hurt Calleigh.

I had wanted to put things right for her.

That's all.

And I screwed up my one and only chance to do so.

--------------------

I returned to the lab, at around the time I thought Calleigh would be leaving.

I guessed right: soon after I got there, Calleigh was walking down the front steps to a car.

Peter was with her.

They talked and they smiled and they laughed.

Calleigh just happened to turn her head slightly and caught a glimpse of Hagen, watching her.

She made no effort to act as if she had noticed him, however.

It's almost as if she _wants_ him to see that she's with someone else.

Seeing Calleigh, so obviously dating Peter, is breaking Hagen's heart.

But Hagen doesn't know how lucky he is.

He dated Calleigh once.

I never had a chance.


	18. Game Over

_Sorry I had to do that to you last chapter! Hehe I'm so mean! And I;m obsessed with the disgusting-ness of the green cardiganCalleigh wore last episode,so I put it in this chapter as well!_

_Please review... please?

* * *

_

That night, I found myself back in Calleigh's apartment, with no real reason to be there.

It was just habit, I guess.

I headed down the now familiar hall towards Calleigh's bedroom and was about to enter when I heard voices and laugher from within.

I recognised both of the speakers instantly.

The first: Calleigh.

The other was Peter Elliot.

I didn't want to know any more.

The thought of Peter sharing Calleigh's bed both angered and disgusted me. Calleigh could have any man she chooses. Why does she insist on sleeping with Peter Elliot?

There are many men who deserve a woman like Calleigh. Men who are there for her all the time, not just when work permits it. Men who realise how lucky they are.

Peter Elliot is not one of them.

As I walked away from Calleigh's bedroom, I noticed some clothes on the floor. There was Peter's shirt and the T-Shirt Calleigh had been wearing.

Lastly, there was another item.

I recognised it as Calleigh's cardigan.

The unflattering, green cardigan.

With a slight chuckle, I bent down and picked it up.

"Calleigh," I muttered, "As your guardian angel, I forbid you to wear this again."

And then I remembered that I was no longer her guardian angel at all.

I took one last look at her bedroom door and heard her giggle softly before leaving, the green cardigan still in my hand.

--------------------

The next morning, the sun was up and I suddenly felt the need to talk to someone.

That meant Alexx.

As I walked through reception, looking for her, I heard my name.

"_Tim Speedle, please."_

I reeled around, looking for the speaker.

My eyes fell on a girl that I had met about a year ago, through a case involving her friend.

Her name was Sara Piper.

--- FLASHBACK ---

We had been out for a drink after I had closed the case. It had escalated to more than a drink.

Suddenly I was in bed with Sara Piper, a.k.a. Cookie Devine.

--- END FLASHBACK ---

That's pretty much all I can remember from that night.

But there was one other thing.

I remember Calleigh.

She wasn't there or anything and we didn't see her while we were in the bar, but every time I looked at Sara, I saw Calleigh.

I could see it in my mind as clearly as if it were real; Calleigh laying next to me, rather than Sara.

I could see her blond hair on the pillow as she slept.

I could hear her breathing.

I could feel her in my arms, her back pressed against my chest.

And then I woke up.

--------------------

I caught up with Alexx just outside the morgue.

Eric was with her.

"_If you don't find this guy's foot, you'll be next!"_

Eric shrugged, grinned cheekily and left, but not before looking Alexx up and down.

My jaw dropped in shock.

Eric you ass! She's married, for God's sake!

Alexx turned around and saw me.

"_Hey Timmy!"_ she said warmly. _"Are you okay?"_

I swallowed.

"Yeah I'm fine."

Then I remembered why I had come to talk to her and realised that I wasn't fine at all.

"_You look unhappy about something… do you want to talk about it?"_

I nodded.

And then, before I could stop myself, I blurted out what I needed to say.

"Alexx, I can't be Calleigh's guardian angel any more!"

She looked shocked and then concerned.

"_Why? I though… What happened?"_

"It's a long story, but basically, I wasn't watching her closely enough. Then when Hagen… he touched her. He only grabbed her arm, but it was still inappropriate! And I wasn't there for her when she needed me…"

Alexx seemed unsure what to do, so I went on talking.

"I need to do this… I need a purpose or else I'll go insane."

I looked at Alexx.

"I can't cope without being able to protect her. What if something serious happens and she gets really badly hurt and all I can do is watch? What if… What if, one day she's at a scene and someone puts a gun to her head? I won't be able to help her… it'll be my fault…"

I trailed off.

"_Timmy, you have to stop blaming yourself. This is not your fault! Trust me… there is nothing we can blame you for now. I only wish I could help you…"_

"Help me do what?" I questioned, confused.

"_Get back to being her guardian angel… I'm sure you can…"_

I laughed dryly at the suggestion.

"She'll never let me!"

There was a moment of silence.

"_She?"_

"Yeah, Eve. She's God. God's a woman."

"_Ooh."_

"Yeah, well, feminist religious groups would have a field day if they knew."

Alexx grinned, but as I made to leave, she called after me.

"_Feel free to come and see me, whenever."_

"I will. I'll need someone to talk to."

She grinned sympathetically before pushing open the swing-doors to the morgue and walking through them.

I watched them sway before shutting, and then left.

--------------------

I spent the day trying to avoid Calleigh.

I didn't want to be constantly reminded of how I was no longer there for her.

I saw her occasionally going between labs and things, but mostly I managed to stay away from her.

From the snatches of glimpses of Calleigh, I saw that she had a much nicer jacket on today.

It was black leather and looked stunning on her.

I'm glad that I could do one little thing for her, even if it was only to improve her wardrobe, slightly.

--------------------

Much later that day, I was sat outside the front of the department, by the steps.

I saw a car pull up, which Calleigh and Ryan stepped out of.

I tried not to watch as they walked up the steps together, but couldn't help myself.

I tried not to listen as Calleigh talked animatedly to Ryan, but kept hearing snatches of what she was saying, her southern accent carrying across to me easily.

They reached the doors, which Ryan held open for Calleigh.

She was gone and I could breathe again.

I let out a sigh of relief as I felt my heart rate return to normal and I waited for adrenaline to stop surging around my body.

I was just about calm again, when another voice startled me.

"_You really love her don't you?"_

The voice had come from behind me.

I turned and saw Eve, sitting on the grass.

"How long have you been watching me?" I asked, with a scowl.

I was still feeling very bitter towards her for yesterday's events.

"_Long enough,"_ she replied stiffly.

I could tell that she was still angry with me for what I had done.

She gestured for me to sit beside her.

I was going to refuse, but there was still a spark of angry burning in her eyes, so I obeyed.

I wanted to beg and plead and pray to be given a second chance at being a guardian angel, but only my pride stopped me from doing so.

"_Tim…"_ she started, _"You don't seem to realise that the mistake you made was a very serious one. I know that Calleigh didn't get hurt that time, but there may be situations in the future where she may get hurt an-"_

I cut her off. I decided that I might as well start begging because that was the only way I was going to get another chance.

"I know! That's why…please? Can I try again? I will watch her bet-"

This time, it was me whose sentence was cut short.

"_Let me finish! Now, Calleigh may get hurt in the future, I'm sure you know that. She has a potentially dangerous job and could sometimes do with a little looking after. As I said yesterday, I am not sure you are right to perform this task."_

I had nothing to say, as she had not asked me a question.

It seemed that Eve had nothing more to add, either.

So we sat in silence for quite a while. Quite a long while.

It was Eve that broke it.

"_You never answered me."_

"You didn't ask me a question, so there's nothing to answer."

"_I did. I said 'you really love her, don't you?' You never answered."_

It took me a moment to answer, but I knew already what I was going to say.

"Yes. Yes I do. She's too good for me, but I love her anyway."

Eve nodded. I'm not sure whether she was agreeing with my statement or acknowledging it.

Another period of silence followed.

Again, it was Eve that spoke first.

"_You know Tim? I never actually said that you are no longer her guardian angel…"_


	19. Sex And Taxes

Okay, This has taken me FOREVER!

**speedmonkey - **I know I said I'd publish it yesterday, but the document upload feature wouldn't work yesterday. Said something about request timed out. So meh. Sorry... it'shere now.

* * *

_"I never actually said that you are no longer her guardian angel…"_

My heart started to beat faster. Is it possible that she just said that? She can't have meant it; surely couldn't be true.

An enormous balloon of happiness began to grow inside me. I almost refused to let it inflate, for fear of it bursting.

Sure enough, Eve's next word was enough to pop the balloon.

"_However,"_ she said, her tone serious, _"You did make a big mistake. You were very lucky; Calleigh could have been seriously hurt, be it emotionally or physically. And I don't want Calleigh hurt in any way…"_

I looked up at Eve, surprised to see a small smile tugging at her lips.

"… _even if it's only because if Calleigh is okay, I don't have a depressed Tim to baby-sit."_

I couldn't help but laugh. If eve was joking a little, that could only mean that she was about to forgive me my mistake.

"_Tim, what happened between Hagen and Calleigh… It should never have. You should have been protecting her. You should never have taken your eyes off her. You should never be away from her. Not even for a second."_

She sighed a little.

"_But, despite all of this, I'm willing to let you have a second chance. This time, you will never leave her side. You won't abandon her and you won't let Hagen touch her again."_

I nodded vigorously.

There were lots of conditions and it seemed that Eve was asking a lot. But to me, this just means that I will be spending more time around Calleigh, which is worth every moment.

"_There will be no more chances. You screw this up, you lose it all."_

I nodded again. I knew that anyway.

There is no way that I'm going to waste this final chance to help Calleigh, after all she has done for me.

I won't waste this chance.

I can't.

Eve stood up to leave, when a thought struck me.

"Eve? I asked.

She turned around to face me.

"Would you… if another guardian angel made a mistake… would you let them have another chance?"

She seemed to consider the question.

"_No. Well, maybe but I doubt it."_

For a second, I appreciated how lucky I was to be given the second chance.

"Why did I get a second chance? How come? I'm not exactly special or anything… I never did anything particularly amazing while I was alive… How come I get another try?"

Eve surveyed me with her dark brown eyes. She was choosing her answer carefully.

"_Tim, I'm letting you have another chance because…because you love her so much."_

-------------------

As soon as Eve left, I headed straight over to Calleigh's apartment.

Eve's message had been pretty clear: Go to Calleigh's apartment. Go directly to Calleigh's apartment. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

So I did.

The familiar hallway was lit gently by the setting sun that was streaming through the windows.

I didn't see Calleigh anywhere and started to worry a little.

I looked in the kitchen and the bedroom and the en-suite bathroom.

All empty.

As I headed to the living room, panic was rising in me.

From the hallway, this room looked empty as well, but I tried my hardest to stay calm.

She could have gone out, I told myself.

But why would she have left her bag here? I wondered as I stepped over it.

Once I got inside the living room, my worries were forgotten.

Calleigh was lying on the sofa, sleeping like a baby.

She had obviously come straight in, dropped her things, kicked off her shoes and collapsed, sleeping immediately.

She must have had very little sleep the previous night, I thought bitterly as I remembered the company she had entertained.

Her hair was messy and slightly falling out of the previously flawless bun that it had previously been in; her clothes were creasing a little from being lain on.

I took a step closer and she shifted slightly.

She had taken off her jacket and I noticed that she was shivering slightly.

The air conditioning must be a little too cold.

I found a thin fleece blanket and laid it over her, as if she were in bed.

All I could do after that was watch Calleigh, my Calleigh, sleep.

--------------------

The next day at work, she met Eric in a corridor.

"_Hey," _she greeted.

"_Hey."_

Eric looked a little annoyed and slightly disappointed.

"_What's up?"_

"_Oh nothing. Just, I went diving for evidence and then Ryan ran off with my findings to tell H."_

Calleigh stopped walking.

"_Really?"_

Eric nodded glumly.

"_I could just…"_ Eric trailed off when Calleigh gave him a warning look.

"_I'll talk to him Eric. It'll be easier that way, okay?"_

Eric didn't answer.

"_Okay?"_

This time, Eric nodded and said _"Thanks Cal."_

"_No problem. Just stay out of his way for a while."_

Eric grinned cheekily and left.

--------------------

Calleigh read the printout that had just been sent from Tox.

With a slight grin; she was obviously pleased with the results; she picked up the phone and was punching in the number for Ryan's pager.

Just before she pressed the send button, she had an afterthought.

She pressed cancel and went back to the test she had been running.

The Tox results lay on the desk next to her and they stayed there for the next half hour until Ryan came in.

When he saw the results, his face fell.

"_You were going to tell me right?"_

"_About the Tox report? Of course. We always include each other."_

That's it Calleigh. Put him in his pace.

"_Delko told you."_

"_This lab is like high school. Gossip travels fast."_

Ryan left, looking slightly disgruntled.

Calleigh looked satisfied.

And so was I.

What Ryan did was out of order.

He should have waited for Delko.

He really should have.

--------------------

A few hours later, Calleigh and Ryan were out in the field, looking for evidence on a parked car.

A Rolls Royce, no less.

"_I got something,"_Ryan muttered suddenly.

He took a couple of photos, showing that he does know something about being a CSI.

Not too good with the CSI ethics, but he can work on that.

Calleigh took a swab of the grey sludge that Ryan had seen.

"_It's textured. It's all coming together."_

"_You're not going to tell me?"_

Calleigh flashed him her widest, most flirtatious grin.

"_And have you run to Horatio with it? Forget about it!"_

Calleigh left and Ryan looked a little annoyed.

I followed Calleigh, but paused to slap Ryan in the back.

He won't have felt it, but it's the thought that counts. Right?


	20. Killer Date

_Okay, there's a bit (okay, a lot) of E/C in this chapter. I'm sorry S/C fans! But there will be plently of S/C to come! No flames please.

* * *

_

Calleigh and Eric approached a crime scene together for the first time in a long while.

They haven't worked together much since I died.

I stayed out of earshot from them and just watched them from across the street.

I noticed that they were not allowed to cross the crime scene tape immediately; they talked to a uniform officer for a minute or so before going in.

Once they had ducked under the tape and walked a few metres away, they turned to each other and started talking in low mutters.

I could only see Eric's face because Calleigh's back was to me, but his expression looked worried.

Perhaps Calleigh was having a problem with something and that's why Eric was worried.

Maybe she was hurt and the uniform officer had seen something. An injury… A bruise… A cut.

I decided that I should go and check.

But… if Calleigh's hurt, I don't know how it happened.

I've never been more than ten metres from her since the last time I saw Eve.

That made me even more worried.

As I came towards them, I heard Calleigh's southern accent cut through the air, despite the fact that she was talking in a very low tone.

"Losing a badge is a major."

"What!" I said, in total shock.

A major? It's one of the worst things that can happen to a police officer!

Apart from being killed.

Who was stupid enough to lose their badge?

I mean, it would take a total idiot to…

I glanced down at the pair's belts.

Calleigh's badge was on her hip, next to her ever present gun.

Eric's badge was…

His badge…

Eric, you idiot.

Stupid.

Dim.

Thick.

Dense.

How can you lose a badge?

I asked that question to myself, just as Eric started to explain the concept of 'toothing' to Calleigh.

He finished his explanation and frankly, she didn't look impressed.

"Wanna tell me something?"

"Besides wear protection?"

This statement made me laugh twice.

Firstly, I laughed because Calleigh had told Eric how stupid he is in only three words.

Secondly, at the thought that Eric might ever think about using protection.

I mean, he's careless with his badge and so probably careless with sex.

They talked for a moment longer before Eric decided that he had better get to the department, talk to Horatio and find his badge.

Before leaving though, he made sure Calleigh would be alright.

Obviously, she said told him that she would be fine.

I could see Ryan walking up the road towards the crime scene anyway.

Eric walked away and nodded to Ryan as he did.

Ryan looked puzzled, but didn't ask questions.

He headed towards where Calleigh was standing.

That meant that he would be taking the case with her, which wasn't ideal.

I'd much prefer it if she was working with Eric.

He's so protective and makes my job an awful lot easier if he's there.

Ryan, on the other hand… Ryan just isn't.

So it's not ideal, but better Calleigh works with him than on her own.

"_Eric got another case?"_ Ryan asked as they entered the club, that was also the crime scene.

Calleigh lied and answered Ryan's question with a 'yes'.

She's so loyal; that's one of the sweet things about her.

She's covered for me countless times when it comes to the state of my gun.

She's covering for Eric now.

She's so loyal; that's one of the many things I love about her.

--------------------

"_Hey."_

"_Hey."_

As Calleigh left the department that evening, she met up with Eric for the first time since he told Calleigh that he lost his badge.

They walked in silence for a while, towards the parking lot, and then suddenly started talking at the same time.

"_I solved the ca-"_

"_I got my-"_

The both broke off.

"_You first," _said Eric, with a grin.

"_I solved the case at the club,"_ Calleigh told him. _"Did you find your badge?"_

"_Yeah. And I got sent to the psychologist by Stetler."_

Calleigh looked shocked.

"_What? Why?"_

"_Well, I never went after Speed died and Stetler thinks I need to. He also said that this 'Toothing' thing is about Speedle as well." _

I expected Calleigh to look even more shocked at this comment, but her expression didn't change.

In fact, she looked as if she expected me to be mentioned.

"_Is it?" _she asked.

Eric looked confused.

"_Is what?"_

"_Is this issue something to do with Speedle?"_

Eric sighed and looked at the floor.

They had both stopped walking now.

"_Yes. No. I don't know."_

Calleigh looked at the floor as well. I could see a furious red blush creeping across her cheeks.

"_Well… I just thought… If it was something to do with Speedle…You could have come to me."_

She lifted her head and make eye contact with Eric.

His eyes were wide like a rabbit caught in headlamps.

I couldn't believe it.

Calleigh… and Eric…

I don't get it.

Why should they wait until now to tell each other?

Why should my death bring them together?

Why not me?

So many whys.

"_What are you saying?" _Eric asked.

"_All I'm saying is that we both needed someone."_

They fell silent for a while and the pieces of the puzzle started to come together in my head.

Peter Elliot.

She doesn't really love him.

She never did and never will.

She needed someone to care and he cared.

That's all.

"_Calleigh? Do you still need someone?"_

Eric asked the question I'd been dying to ask since the day I met Calleigh.

Well, not those exact words, but the same question.

Calleigh looked up into Eric's eyes and spoke quietly.

"_If you had asked me before, then maybe. But because you felt that you couldn't come to me first…"_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_You've done nothing wrong,"_ Calleigh told Eric. _"Except lose your badge."_

"_I'm sorry,"_ Eric said again. _"I'm sorry that I didn't think about how you might be feeling when Speed died. I'm sorry for losing my badge. I'm sorry that Speed died. I'm sorry that I didn't come to you first."_

Calleigh and Eric shared an awkward hug that neither of them initiated.

Calleigh's head was against Eric's chest and she muttered, _"Don't be sorry."_

They broke apart and Calleigh left without a backwards glance.

--------------------

Once she got home, Calleigh started to get ready for bed.

She had a shower and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-Shirt that was about three sizes too big.

Once she had done that, she found some food in the freezer and settled down on the sofa with her supper.

While she was eating, I couldn't help notice that she kept glancing at the phone on the table.

By the end of her meal, she was barely taking her eyes off it.

She wanted to talk to someone.

Eric perhaps.

To apologise for what she said earlier.

She put away her plate and returned to the sofa, picking up the phone on the way.

She dialled a number and held the phone to her ear.

Her expression was nervous.

She chewed he lip while she waited for whoever was at the other end of the line to pick up.

Finally, I heard a voice.

It was muffled because it was coming over the phone, but I recognised it.

"_Hey Peter,"_ said Calleigh, glumly. She was totally different from her normal, perky self.

Peter noticed her low mood immediately and said _"What's wrong Cal?" _

She got straight to the point.

"_Peter… this can't go on. Between us. It doesn't work."_

There was a minute or more of silence.

I expected cruel words from Peter; anger, aggression, then pleading and begging that they get back together.

But no.

He was calm and didn't raise his voice even the slightest bit.

"_Perhaps it's for the best."_

Calleigh looked thoroughly relieved that he didn't argue with her.

"_So… you come and pick up your stuff next time you are down in Miami?"_

"_Yeah. Alright, I'd better go."_

"_Okay. Oh, Peter? Still friends?"_

"_Yeah. Still friends."_

Calleigh hung up and grinned.

A huge weight had been lifted from her chest and she returned to the bright, cheerful person that she has always been.

She was just heading into bed when the washing machine cycle stopped.

With a sigh, she emptied it and hung all the wet clothes out to dry.

She went to bed, but didn't notice the fact that the hideous orange top she had been wearing was not in the wash.

It was nowhere to be found.

I had taken care of it.


	21. Birthday

_Ideally I would have published this yesterday, but the friggin' document manager wouldn't work! Very annoying. Yeah, just pretend you were reading this yesterday alright? _

It's FRIENDSHIP okay? You'll see.

* * *

We all knew what day it was.

24th June.

My birthday.

No one said a word, but they were all thinking about it.

They all knew.

A hush fell over the lab.

Ryan dared to ask why and Eric snapped.

Calleigh diffused the situation and sent Ryan out. She then turned to Eric.

"_Listen Eric," _she said, holding his forearms. _"Calm down. That was uncalled for."_

"_I'm sorry! It's just…"_

He trailed off.

"_I know it's hard but don't think that you are the only one that's struggling. And don't take it out on Ryan either."_

She shot him a meaningful glare before leaving.

--------------------

A couple of hours later, Calleigh was chasing up some evidence that she had sent to Trace.

When I had been alive, I had always had music on and that part of the lab had never been quiet. But that day when Calleigh went in to fetch the results, it was silent.

Before stepping over the threshold to Trace, Calleigh paused and looked around the empty room.

"…_Speedle…"_ she murmured.

Her eyes were closed and her brain was ignoring all of her senses. It was totally focused on remembering what had gone by.

--------------------

"_Calleigh?"_

She was brought back to Earth by someone calling her name.

"_There something wrong Calleigh?"_

It was Ryan.

Calleigh shook her head vigorously.

"_No. Everything's fine."_

She shook her head again.

Ryan looked unconvinced.

"_Are you sure? It's just that everything seems a little… quiet today."_

"_It's nothing. Really."_

Calleigh grinned broadly, to drive home the point that she was totally fine.

She made to walk away, but Ryan gently placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her.

"_As a friend, I'm worried about you. All of you. Everyone upset about something but no-one is saying what."_

"_Ryan, it's… it's Speed's birthday today. Well, it would be. It should be." _

Calleigh turned away from Ryan, not wanting him to see the look on her face.

Ryan started to comfort Calleigh, something he never thought he would have to do.

He pulled her into a friendly hug, which Calleigh backed away from almost immediately.

Almost immediately.

They hugged for almost two seconds before Calleigh stepped out of the embrace.

Calleigh smiled sadly at Ryan and left.

He stood in the corridor, bewildered at what had just happened.

I don't think he realised how lucky he was.

Calleigh had let him comfort her; let him see her when she was weakest.

She's accepted him as a true friend.

--------------------

At the end of the day, Calleigh went to fetch her things from the break-room, as usual.

She got her bag and also picked up an envelope.

White, with simple biro ink on it.

What was written in the ink was important.

It said "Tim Speedle" in Calleigh's neat handwriting.

I knew exactly where she was going, but I didn't want to join her.

But I had no choice.

--------------------

At the graveyard, Calleigh put the letter on the headstone.

There were many more flowers than normal because of it being my birthday.

Calleigh didn't bring flowers.

Only her letter.

As she stood back from the grave and looked at it, a small sob escaped her throat.

She bit her lip to prevent it happening again.

She left.

Once, she glanced over her shoulder at the grave.

Just once.


	22. Recoil

I've been in Calleigh's apartment countless times.

Hell, I've even been in her bedroom more times that I'd care to mention.

Her place; it's neat, tidy and everything has a place.

Which is why I wasn't surprised by her reaction when she found Ryan reordering the evidence.

"_Would you mind not doing that?"_

"_What?"_

Ryan. Poor Ryan. Just don't question Calleigh's neatness.

"_I'm sorting the evidence!"_ He defended.

"_I'm very particular about my evidence,"_ Calleigh informed him.

He muttered something nervously about sorting it a different way.

Nuh uh.

Not going to happen.

Calleigh took the evidence he had been packing away from his hands and repacked it her way.

Ryan left, shaking his head.

--------------------

Some days, nothing happens for hours and then it all happens at once.

Today is one of those days.

Very little happened until four o'clock in the evening.

At four o'clock, almost everyone in the team was outside the courthouse.

There was a hearing about the custody of a young child and all of the team had been working on it, so they were all at the courthouse.

Calleigh and Ryan were talking, but they seemed to be arguing.

"_You took a biological out of the lab? Without a k-pack?"_

Woah, who did what?

Ryan took a biological out of the lab?

I would have thought that with his OCD that he would be even neater than Calleigh.

Well, he deserves to be yelled at this time.

"_I just can't believe you've done that! You broke protocol!"_

"_On patrol, we do what we are told!"_

Yeah, and Calleigh is telling you that you shouldn't take a biological out of the lab.

"_You aren't on patrol any more."_

"_Well, I could have used your advice but you were bailing out your Dad!"_

No, no, no, do not make this about Calleigh's family.

Ryan, you are the one in the wrong here.

You do NOT take a biological out of a lab, unless you have a k-pack.

At that moment, I saw, behind Calleigh, Horatio was advancing, his gun in hand.

Suddenly, there was another man, also with his gun out.

And then the world stopped.

Not in the humid, hazy way, like when Eve is about to make an entrance.

A slow-motion way, like in The Matrix.

I saw an explosion as a bullet was fired from the barrel of a gun and then, almost instantly there were two more shots.

The loud bangs rang in my ears as the bullets headed for their targets.

Screams, more screams.

I saw Calleigh and Ryan both flat on the floor.

Calleigh was on her back and Ryan was almost on top of her.

He must have pushed her down.

Suddenly, one of the bullets makes contact with whom it was aimed at and my world sped up again.

Screams, more screams.

I glanced around, looking for Horatio, when I heard Ryan's worried voice from behind me.

"_Calleigh!"_

I spun around, panic striking my heart.

Could Calleigh have been hit in the gunfire?

She wasn't moving.

I crouched beside her, hoping, praying, that she was okay.

There was no way I could forgive myself if she had been hit.

If she had been, it would have been my fault.

Quickly, I looked Calleigh up and down, checking for a bloodstain.

A flower of crimson was growing on her right hip, a vivid contrast against the pristine white of her trousers.

Blood.

It was my entire fault.

I should have taken that bullet for her.

Ryan was also checking the unconscious Calleigh for blood.

"_Calleigh? Calleigh!"_

He saw the blood.

"_Oh my god…"_

Ryan's hand, that was on Calleigh's shoulder, was shaking.

Suddenly Calleigh's eyes opened.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

She was alive.

She had been shot, but she was alive.

She would need to go to hospital to get that bullet removed, but she was alive.

"_It's okay,"_ she said, seeing Ryan's panicked expression. _"I'm not hit."_

But… how…

And then I understood.

When Ryan had pulled Calleigh to the floor, out of the way of the bullets, the blood vial he had been holding had smashed on Calleigh and made it look like she had been hit.

Ryan looked down at his hands and saw blood and broken glass.

He hadn't even noticed the vial breaking because he was so worried about Calleigh.

He actually might be quite useful to have around.

He might have saved Calleigh's life today.

Ryan did better than I could ever do.

--------------------

For the rest of the day, Calleigh and Ryan argued a lot.

About Ryan starting an interview without her.

About Calleigh's father.

About everything.

At the end of the day, they met in the locker room.

Ryan came in just as Calleigh pulled a pair of bloodstained trousers out of her locker.

She pretended not to notice him come in as he packed them into a plastic bag, but he spoke.

"_I'm sorry for ruining your trousers Calleigh."_

At this, Calleigh laughed.

"_Don't be. The stain will come out! It's fine."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Yeah."_

Calleigh nodded and there was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

"_Horatio will have to know about this, y'know."_

Ryan nodded.

"_I wouldn't expect anything less, from you."_

"_Just make sure, next time it's in a k-pack okay?"_

She was half-way out of the door when, on an afterthought, she turned back into the room.

"_Oh and Ryan? You owe me for the dry-cleaning of these!"_

She held up the bag with the trousers in.

Ryan grinned and said goodbye.

Calleigh left.

--------------------

On the way back to her apartment, she stopped at a local dry-cleaners.

"_Hey Calleigh!"_ called the woman at the desk.

"_Hey Angie! How've you been?"_

"_I'm good. You?"_

"_Same. Listen Angie, I need to run. I need these trousers washing, okay?"_

The woman, Angie, took the trousers out of the plastic bag.

"_What have you got on them now? Fingerprint dust, is it?"_

She unfolded the trousers and found the stain.

"_My god Calleigh? How did you get this blood on here? You're alright aren't you?"_

Calleigh laughed and started to tell the story.

"… _and then he smashed the vial of blood all over me!"_

Both Angie and Calleigh laughed again.

"_Alright Calleigh, you take care! Don't get shot!"_

"_I won't! Same time tomorrow Angie?"_

"_Sure! See you then!"_

Calleigh left the shop looking a lot happier after meeting with her friend.

She arrived at home and had the first bit of time alone that she had had all day.

Except that she's never alone.


	23. Vengeance

_Okay so I've got a little behind in chapters but I'm nearly caught up. It's 10-7 tomorrow night (yayness) so I'll be able to finish off that chapter and write the one forWhacked! lol my favourite eppy! AndI've decided not to put the "with every fiber" bit in because this is a mostlySpeed/Calleigh fic with only a little bit of some other ships.Thanks in advance for reviewing! ;p

* * *

_

I was very worried today.

When I nearly lost Calleigh for the second time, Hagen was very involved.

And Hagen is back in the lab.

I saw him in passing today.

He was talking to Horatio in the morgue gallery and they both looked worried.

I don't know what they could be discussing, but I hope that it isn't a case.

I really hope that it isn't a case.

If Hagen is going to work a case… he might be working with Calleigh.

After what happened last time, I don't know if Calleigh will be okay with that. I know already that I won't be.

I don't even know if Calleigh has told anyone about what he did yet.

Maybe, if she does, she could file a harassment charge against him.

And put my mind at rest for a while.

--------------------

Ryan and Calleigh were working a murder at a school reunion.

I never went to my school reunion, but I had received an invitation.

At school, I only had one close friend and he had died while I was in high school.

I could never go to that reunion.

Too many bad memories.

And that's one thing in my life that I didn't regret missing.

I'm trying to imagine Calleigh in her school days.

She would have been popular and always happy and smiling.

I can't imagine Calleigh ever being depressed for any reason.

She'd be the best friend anyone could have.

Totally the opposite to me.

I was a loner in school. It's true.

Top of my class, but still a loner.

Until I dropped out.

And even then, I was still a loner.

--------------------

Calleigh started the huge job of interviewing the suspects.

That meant everyone at the reunion.

One man saw Calleigh as she approached him.

"_What can I do for you officer?"_

They talked for a moment and Calleigh found out the man's business.

"_You sell life insurance at the reunion?"_

Well, that's a bit morbid.

I mean, I know from experience how easily life can be snuffed out, but selling insurance at a reunion?

I don't know how he gets away with a stunt like that but good luck to him.

He'll need it.

And a mortality clock?

I watched as he pulled a PDA out of his pocket and I saw that on the screen was a digital readout of a countdown.

A mortality clock.

That would have been no use to me.

It would have been wrong.

Unless you have to factor "gun maintenance" into the equation when you are setting it.

--------------------

Later that night, Calleigh slept peacefully.

I lay beside her on the bed and thought about the day.

Hagen and Calleigh hadn't seen each other, I realised.

I don't think Calleigh knew that Hagen had visited the department at all.

Thank goodness.

The guy with the mortality clock was guilty.

Now, to quote Calleigh, that clock can be used to count down his life sentence.

Eve was suddenly by my side.

I hadn't even noticed the stillness of air that normally accompanies her arrival.

"_Tim, you need to get your mail."_

My mail? What mail?

I asked exactly that question.

"_On your gravestone. Calleigh left you a letter."_

Oh. That.

"I don't think I want to read that. It's like invading Calleigh's privacy."

Eve grinned wryly.

"_Well, what are you doing now? You're lying on her bed! And besides… it's addressed to you and I think that you should read it."_

I stood up, ready to run over to the graveyard, because when I thought about it, I was very curious to know what the letter said, but then I suddenly thought.

I can't leave Calleigh.

My face must have betrayed my thoughts because Eve said _"Don't worry. I'll watch her a while."_

I grinned over my shoulder as I left.

"Thank you!" I called as I left the flat.

--------------------

At the graveyard, I made my way to my grave.

As I saw my own name written in the hard stone slab, I felt tears rise to my eyes.

Up until then I hadn't come close enough to my grave to read my name on the stone, but as I read it, it seemed to hit home the fact that I was actually dead.

It seemed like I had been living a nightmare and then woken up to find that it is all true.

I bit back those tears as I picked up the letter.

The paper was slightly damp and fragile and I took great care not to rip the letter inside as I slowly opened the envelope.

Luckily for me, the envelope had protected the letter inside from the worst of the moisture and the paper the letter was written on was less fragile than the envelope.

I unfolded the paper and found that a full side of paper had been covered in Calleigh's neat, slightly slanted writing.

I settled down on the grass and started to read.

_DearTim, __I don't know how to say this but I guess I have to try my best. I've been missing you so much over the last few months. I missed you so badly that it's painful. But then something changed. Suddenly I felt as if you were looking over my shoulder. There are times were I can feel you so strongly that it's as if you are alive again. Oh I don't know how to describe it but sometimes I'll be lying in bed and I can sense you next to me and I roll over and then I'm disappointed because you aren't there. But you must be there because I know that you are. Even now, as I write this, you are close. You are standing by my bedroom door, watching me. I think you are protecting me as well. Keeping me safe and keeping an eye on me. And for that, I thank you. No-one has ever done something like that for me. Probably because I'm the least deserving person. I don't need this but I am very grateful to you. Just knowing that someone is there for me is amazing. And I hope that wherever you are, you are having a great birthday. We are all missing you right now. __All my love, Calleigh xxx_


	24. Whacked

What a nightmare.

Someone I put on death row about five years ago has been granted a stay of execution.

And while they were in prison, their crime was copied.

I just hate copy-cats.

They copy-cat has saved an evil psychopath from the needle.

The man is guilty, I know it.

There is no way he can be innocent.

The case was originally mine… I remember it quite well, but only because it was so brutal.

--- FLASHBACK ---

I walked through the door to the cool modern beach house, not knowing what to expect.

Megan had decided that I was to be the primary CSI on that particular case and that she would take a back-seat in the investigation.

I reached the living room of the beach house and froze in shock.

The scene in front of me was the most violent I'd ever seen.

The work of a cold-blooded killer.

In the centre of the room was a pool of congealed blood, a dark stain against the light floor.

Laying in the blood was a body, a woman with bounds hands and feet. There was also duct tape around her mouth.

From her body position, I made a guess then and there that she had been raped, almost sadistically, before being bludgeoned to death.

The room that was in front of me was so filled with horrors that I daren't cross the threshold.

After standing there, stunned, for a minute or two, I felt a hand on my arm.

It was Megan.

"_Speed? Are you okay with this crime scene? I mean, I… I could be the primary on this one if you'd prefer it."_

I could see a slight feeling of worry in Megan's face. This scene was fazing her slightly as well.

I know that Megan has seen a lot of things during her time at the crime lab and it takes a lot scare her.

Instantly this scene became slightly more difficult for me to cope with.

Which made my determined to do so.

I swallowed before replying.

"No. I want this one. I'll be fine."

I nodded to reassure myself.

Megan nodded too before walking away, leaving me to document the scene in photo form.

--- END FLASHBACK ---

I remember that scene as if it were yesterday.

It was my first time working as a primary CSI and I think it was the hardest case I've ever been assigned to.

Not because it was a difficult case to solve, but because the crime was so terrible that it almost left me with psychological scars.

And now I have to see it all again.

--------------------

I was glad when the scene had been processed and I could leave the beach house.

I didn't want to spend any more time in there.

The old case had been opened alongside the current one, comparing evidence and theories.

Ryan Wolfe was assigned to reviewing the evidence on the old case.

My case.

He found Eric and Calleigh comparing evidence in the corridor and decided to talk to them.

"_Who was the primary on this case five years ago?"_

The two of them looked at each other uneasily and Eric told him.

"_Tim Speedle."_

Eric was scowling and Ryan was looking slightly worried.

I could easily imagine them breaking into a fight right there in the CSI department.

Luckily, they didn't.

Calleigh stepped between them at just the right moment to prevent such a thing from happening.

After giving both Eric and Ryan a scowl, they both went back to what they had been doing.

Calleigh. Peacemaker.

After both the guys had left, she also went back to what she had been doing, shaking her head a little at the almost fight that had just happened.

--------------------

Not long after that, the criminal was dead.

Not because of the needle. He killed himself by eating peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches.

His peanut allergy killed him.

Well, good riddance.

I think that's the first time I've wished death on someone else, but he really deserves it.

--------------------

After their shifts finished, Eric and Calleigh had a drink together for the first time in a long while.

They sat at a corner table in a quite bar with their drinks and chatted.

Eric told Calleigh about his sister's new daughter and Calleigh told Eric about her planning to visit San Francisco in the near future.

They talked about everything they could think of, other than work, for as long as they could. When all the other conversation topics had run dry, however, Eric remembered something Ryan had said to him earlier in the day.

"_Calleigh… do you like Ryan?"_

"_He's okay I suppose. Why?"_

Eric sighed.

"_I don't like him. And today… with Speedle's old case… He's been driving me crazy."_

"_What did he do?"_ asked Calleigh, concerned.

"_It wasn't so much what he did… more what he said. He found the cobalt on the axe and came to tell me. I don't know… I think it was the way he said that really annoyed me. It was like he was saying "I found things that your friend didn't!", Y'know?" _

Calleigh took another sip of her drink before answering.

"_Is that why you were arguing?"_

"_No. This all happened after the argument. He told me that 'he can't compete with a dead man'. All because I pointed out that Speed didn't have the axe when he was doing his investigation."_

When Calleigh didn't say anything, Eric went on.

"_I know you found Wolfe easier to accept than I did because you weren't as close to Speed as I was…"_

Eric trailed off and an emotion flickered across Calleigh's face.

Could it have been regret?

"_To Speedle," _she said, holding out her glass.

Eric looked taken aback, but he also picked up his glass, clinked it against hers.

"_To Speedle," _he agreed.


	25. 10 7

_I can't believe I've finally got to the last chapter of this! The end of an era for me!Wow it's been amazing to write and I got such good feedback for it! I'd like to thank, first of all you for reading this far! And everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited etc...I love you all! And a special thank you to Dayna... for being on MSN almost every night to talk to me and listen to me complaining about my writers block! THANK YOU! Now please... nothing left to do but read!

* * *

The air was totally electric, filled with static and energy. All over the city, heat and life buzzed like bees out of a hive._

The bomb, though it had injured many people, some fatally, had brought life to the rest of the city.

Gossip was everywhere and it was impossible to here the same story twice.

The job of the CSIs however, was to sift through the rumours and evidence to find a story that was true.

--------------------

Calleigh crouched down, careful to keep her cream trousers away from the dust as much as possible.

Something had caught her interest so I also looked down at the dusty floor that was covered in debris from the explosion.

She held the camera to her eye and took three photo's of an empty space.

Why is she taking photos of an emp…

Oh.

There isn't meant to be an empty space.

Someone's taken evidence away between the explosion and Calleigh being there.

Suddenly I heard a clicking.

Tinny, mechanical clicking.

Almost like…

Almost like…

… A gun.

I swivel around and see Calleigh, with her head bowed and her eyes closed.

She had heard the clicks as well.

And then my eyes fell on the gun.

From the on, it was all I could see.

The black metal that pressed against the back of her head filled my vision and my thoughts.

Calleigh, totally submissive and at the mercy of her attacker, didn't move or make a sound.

He was going to kill her, I realised.

He was ready to do it.

It had taken the thought that long to sink in.

And then, I reacted.

With strength I didn't know I had, I pushed the attacker away.

Away from Calleigh.

Only then did I see his face.

The face of John Hagen.

A man that Calleigh thought she could trust.

A man that Calleigh thought she could love.

The shock of seeing a familiar face stopped me in my tracks. For a split second, I couldn't move, but it didn't matter.

Hagen, stunned from my initial blow, fled the room and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Calleigh was safe again.

She was still crouched on the floor, her eyes closed, waiting for a fatal shot that never came.

After a moment, she cautiously opened one eye, then the other. She stood up, green irises scanned the room for someone. Anyone.

All that was there was an empty room.

Back and forth her eyes flickered, like a terrified rabbit.

She was scared. More scared than she had ever been in her life.

And then she was running.

Out of the crime scene she went, her gun held tightly in both hands.

I tried to follow, but some invisible force held me back.

As I struggled with this force, I heard Calleigh outside, asking if he would hold a gun to her head. As if.

I tried to escape until a soft voice whispered in my ear to stop struggling, so I did.

At that moment, I noticed a dark-skinned hand resting on my shoulder.

"Eve," I muttered quietly as I turned to face her.

She nodded by way of reply to my greeting.

"Eve…um…" I stuttered, "I need…um… to get back to Calleigh."

There was something about her expression that told me that whatever was coming next was not good news.

"_No Tim. No you don't. Tim, you are no longer Calleigh's guardian angel. It's over."_

My heart sank to the very bottom of my chest as a wave of remembrance crept over me.

"But this time… I haven't made any mistakes! I just saved her life! I need to keep going with this!"

Eve shook her head.

"_You saved her life Tim and that's why it's over. The term of being guardian angel ends when the guarded one's life is saved by the actions of their angel. You just saved her life, so you are no longer her angel."_

Totally dumbstruck, I stepped back in shock.

I managed to stutter out "What happens now?"

"_Now, Tim, you go to heaven because you have truly earned your seat there."_

The world was moving too quickly for my brain to keep up with it.

That was it? Nothing else? Just ascension to heaven?

"_I shall give you a couple of hours to say goodbye to your friends and then you shall join me where you belong."_

And she was gone.

--------------------

"Alexx?"

I gently opened the door to the morgue and called her name.

It echoed off the cold steel cabinets that lined one wall and filled the silence.

Alexx looked up from the form she was filling in and smiled her usual warm smile.

"_Hey Timmy!"_

As she came over, she saw my downcast face.

"_Timmy? What's wrong?"_

I sighed.

"I can't be Calleigh's guardian angel anymore, but this time, it's for real."

Alex, who had now reached me, gently raised her hands to my upper arms and patted me comfortingly.

She looked at me expectantly, waiting to hear the whole story.

So I told her.

She waited for me to finish before speaking.

"_You saved her life Tim. If you hadn't been there for her, you wouldn't be the only one going up to heaven right now. Remember that."_

At this statement, I felt guilty, like I had many times before, for almost wanting one of my friends dead so I could have some company.

If I hadn't been Calleigh's guardian angel, she'd be dead now.

She'd be with me.

I tried to shake that thought so I could keep talking to Alexx.

"Alexx, I really came here to say goodbye."

"_Goodbye?" _

"Yeah. Because I'm not a guardian angel, I have no purpose on this earth. So I have to go to heaven soon. I wanted to say goodbye to you before I left."

Tears started to glisten in Alexx's eyes, so I pulled her into a hug.

For a minute or so, she cried into my chest.

"_Why do I have to loose you again Timmy? Everyone else? They only lost you once and I… I… it's not fair!"_

"I'm sorry," I told her truthfully.

It was only at that moment that I realised how much hurt I had caused.

Not just to Alexx, but to everyone that I knew and loved when I was alive.

And the chance to put things right, to clean my gun, had slipped through my fingers.

It all comes down to that damn gun.

Or maybe it doesn't.

Maybe I was meant to get shot on that day, so I could save Calleigh's life today.

I realised that Alexx was still in my arms.

"Goodbye Alexx," I said as I walked away.

When I reached the door, I turned back to see her one last time.

Alexx, the closest thing I'd had to a mother since I left home as a teenager.

The person that you could always come to if you had a problem.

The reason I kept going during the first few months of my death.

I could see that she was still crying, but she was also smiling.

I waved a quick goodbye and left before I cold change my mind.

--------------------

During the rest of the day, I said goodbye to everyone in the team, except Calleigh.

I wanted to wait until the very last moment I had on earth.

I wanted to spend that moment with the woman I love.

--------------------

When I had done everything I wanted to do, I headed to the ballistics lab.

Unsurprisingly, that's where I found Calleigh.

And Hagen.

A shiver ran down my spine when I saw that Calleigh was talking to him like everything was normal.

He has some nerve!

And then fear struck me.

I cannot defend Calleigh any more. She has to fend for herself now.

And if Hagen tries to kill her again, he might succeed.

"_I became a cop to help people. To be a hero," _said Hagen, interrupting my thoughts. _"And I don't feel like one."_

And that's a surprise? You hold a gun to someone's head and you want to feel like a hero? It doesn't work like that.

"_Everyone knows you're a great detective…"_

Except me. I know that Hagen isn't a great detective at all.

"_Even you?"_

"_I would really like to be friends with you."_

As Calleigh spoke, she turned away, to fetch a gun from the cage behind her.

It was at that moment that Hagen pulled his gun from the holster.

My heart rate increased and panic rose in me.

"_The harshest thing a girl can say to a man."_

He cocked the gun, causing Calleigh to freeze.

At that moment she realised who had tried to kill her that morning.

A look of betrayal passed over her face, along with a look of terror.

She thought that Hagen was going to try and kill her again.

But when the explosion of gunfire came, she didn't feel anything.

No bullet ripped through her flesh or spilt her blood.

She turned around to see Hagen's body, slumped on the floor, a pool of red seeping out from under his head.

A gun fell from his hand.

--------------------

"_Speedle?"_

I wheeled around upon hearing my name being called.

"Hagen," I replied curtly.

"_Speedle! It is you! Do you know where we are? Is this heaven or-" _

"If it's heaven, how did you get here?" I spat.

Hagen put on an innocent face.

"_What are you talking about?"_

"What am I talking about? Let me explain. You nearly killed one of my best friends and you took away the one thing she truly loves. If I hadn't stopped you, Calleigh would be dead and because I couldn't stop you from killing yourself she's lost the only way she has of coping! If you think you are getting to heaven then you are very much mistaken!"

I stood, breathing heavily for a moment, almost daring Hagen to speak again.

All of a sudden, my anger took hold again, but this time it was violent.

I lunged at Hagen with my fists, throwing punches left, right and centre.

I don't remember having felt such anger inside me ever before.

I just hope he was feeling the blows and I hope they were really hurting him.

Because he hadn't been expecting me to attack him, I soon got the upper hand, despite Hagen being much bigger and stronger than me.

My fist made contact with Hagen's left eye, he cried out and I felt someone try to pull me off him all at the same time.

"_Tim! No!"_

The familiar voice brought me back to my senses and my temper lost control of me and my rational thoughts took over.

I stood back as Eve helped Hagen stand.

I looked into his eyes as he brushed down his clothes and I could see a look of pure hatred and anger.

The feeling's mutual.

Eve stood by my side and faced Hagen.

"_John Hagen, you have committed sins in your lifetime and you cannot ascend to heaven. You must go now."_

Hagen looked from Eve to me, utterly bewildered.

"_What are you talking about?"_

Eve looked to me.

I explained what Eve had said in as simple a way as I could think of.

"_Hagen, go to hell."_

Hagen glared at me with furious eyes again.

Eve ignored him and turned to me.

"_Go to Calleigh. She needs you."_

--------------------

It took me quite a while to find Calleigh.

First I went to the department and checked the ballistics lab and was surprised by the scene there.

On the floor was a lab coat with "Duquesne" embroidered on the left breast.

There was a small spot of blood on one sleeve and for a second I panicked, before remembering Hagen.

I looked up at the ceiling and saw that there was a large blood splatter from where Hagen had shot himself.

Okay, so Calleigh wasn't hurt.

I went to the firing range and saw that there was a gun, some eye protection and earphones that looked like they had been in use and then the user left in a hurry.

I started to panic again.

Why would Calleigh have left in a hurry?

I searched the rest of the department and found that she wasn't there, so I decided to try her apartment.

--------------------

When I got there, I found the place in a total state.

Calleigh's things had been dropped carelessly on the hall floor, very unlike her.

When I actually found Calleigh, she was in a worse state than her apartment.

Her eyes were red and it looked like she had been crying for a long time.

She was pacing around the small coffee table in her living room and biting one nail.

A mug of coffee, that was undoubtedly cold, was on the floor next to the sofa.

Calleigh, who had obviously forgotten about the mug's existence, kicked it over as she paced past it.

She glared at it and cursed under her breath.

She seemed to be heading for the kitchen to find some way of cleaning it up when she doubled back and simple threw herself onto her sofa.

"_Where are you Speed?"_ She whispered. _"Where are you when I need you?"_

Calleigh let out a sigh and in that pause, I sat down beside her.

I gently placed a hand on her knee and spoke.

"I'm here Calleigh. Right beside you."

At my words, she leapt to her feet, a look of fear upon her face that wasn't unlike the expression she wore when she had had a gun held to her head.

It hurt me to know that I was the cause of her fear, but I had to tell her; I had to speak to her.

Eve had granted me my single wish because she needed me and I needed to be there for her.

I had to speak to her.

I took a step towards Calleigh, who backed further away.

"_Who are you?"_ she murmured, her voice quavering slightly.

"Calleigh… it's me. Tim Speedle."

She took another step back and found herself backed against the wall.

"_No, you can't be! There's no way… Tim Speedle died… seven months ago… he was shot… in the chest… he died. You can't be…"_

Her voice trailed off as I stepped closer to her, close enough to touch her.

I reached out and took her hand in mine. As I did, she looked into my eyes and I looked back.

There were tears brimming inside her. I could see them, behind her light green eyes.

Suddenly there was a look of recognition in her eyes and she gasped.

"_You really are Tim Speedle. Aren't you?"_

Even before I answered, I could see the tears that she had been blinking back for seven months about to spill.

"Yes. I am Tim Speedle."

Suddenly a great sob shook her and in an instant, she was crying.

Her head was resting on my chest and she grabbed at my shirt with her fists.

All I could do was wrap my arms around her and let all her grief pour out of her.

--------------------

Ten minutes later, Calleigh had calmed down.

She and I were sat down on the sofa and she was hastily wiping away at her eyes with a tissue, trying to hide the fact that she had been crying.

"_Speed, how is this possible?"_ She asked after a moment of silence. _"You died Speed. I saw your dead body. Alexx even did your autopsy! And you are sitting here, a solid human and I'm having a conversation with you…"_

Her voice trailed off again.

I should have been expecting this. She was going to want to know everything.

I took a deep breath and started at the beginning.

Calleigh listened intently as I told her about watching my own funeral and my own autopsy.

I told her about how I could talk to Alexx and how much she had helped me since my death.

Then I told her about Eve.

"… And I had to be a guardian angel to one of you. One of my old team…"

I decided not to finish that sentence because Calleigh wore a look of slight annoyance.

"_So you chose me?"_

I _had_ expected this.

I remember when I chose Calleigh, I could imagine her reaction.

To tell me that she didn't need protecting from anything or by anyone.

To tell me that I should have chosen someone else.

I nodded weakly in response to her question.

She let out a great sigh and took both of my hands in hers.

"_Why me? Why not one of the others? I can look after myself. You should have become Alexx's angel. She really needed someone when she got kidnapped and-"_

"I was there. I was there with Alexx, looking after her. And Calleigh? For once, you did need protecting; I saved your life today."

A silence passed over the room as Calleigh thought about what I had said.

When she didn't seem to want to break it, I decided to keep talking myself.

"I pulled Hagen off you and when he died, I made sure he went to his rightful place. He's gone to hell now… he's never coming back."

Calleigh nodded.

"_Thank you."_

I nodded as well.

Another uneasy silence filled the room again.

I could feel Calleigh's eye's boring into me so I turned and locked my eyes with hers.

We were suddenly sitting very close together on the sofa.

I knew what I had to say… the only problem was actually saying it.

I took a deep breath.

"But Calleigh, they aren't the real reasons I decided to be your guardian angel. My reasons were far more important to me than that. It's because… because…"

I was still looking into Calleigh's eyes and she was looking back, expectantly.

"I chose you because… I love you Calleigh."

I looked away, not wanting to see what impact my words might have on Calleigh.

I didn't want to see the mixture of shock and disgust that was surely spreading across her face.

I stared at the floor for what seemed like an eternity, until I felt soft skin against my cheek.

Calleigh turned my face so our eyes made contact again.

Our faces were so close now that I could smell her breath.

It smelt slightly of coffee.

Now, both of Calleigh's hands were cupping my face, bringing me closer to her.

And then, Calleigh's lips were on mine.

I looped my arms around Calleigh's waist and hugged her even closer to me.

I had finally found my missing piece. The final part of the jigsaw was added and I was complete.

Calleigh was my missing piece, what I'd been longing for, for years.

There was so much passion and emotion behind the kiss that I felt tears well up in my own eyes.

And all of a sudden, it was over.

Calleigh had moved her lips away from mine for long enough to reply _"I love you too."_

Just as she spoke, I felt a familiar feeling that had once been a comfort to me, but was now the last thing I wanted to feel.

The warm, humid stillness that rolled over me when Eve arrived.

Calleigh noticed it too and her head snapped up, looking around anxiously.

When she saw the look of, what must have been despair in my expression, her panic levels increased.

"_What is it?" _she asked, in barely more than a whisper.

"That means I have to go."

Suddenly, Eve was in Calleigh's living room.

She looked down at us, together on the sofa with my arms around Calleigh's waist and her head on my shoulder, a look on her face that I couldn't decipher.

It could have been disgust or amusement.

I couldn't tell.

"_Tim,"_ she said slowly. _"It's time for you to leave this world."_

Calleigh and I had both got to our feet at some point.

I nodded to Eve and turned back to Calleigh again.

She had started to cry again; tears were already falling down her cheeks.

In an attempt to comfort her, I pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her forehead gently.

We stood in silence for a minute or two before Calleigh spoke.

"_Wait for me."_

Her voice was muffled so she stepped back from my embrace and lifted her head.

"_Wait for me in heaven."_

I was taken aback that she even had to ask me to.

"Of course!"

She smiled slightly through her tears and I smiled too.

We were walking away from each other but our eyes were still locked together.

I got to Eve's side and she took my hand.

Finally I drew my eyes away from Calleigh and I looked towards Eve.

She nodded to me and I nodded back.

We walked forwards into the light.

And as I walked, I looked back and saw Calleigh's face, smiling at me.

That was the last thing I ever saw on Earth.

/End\


End file.
